The Silver Lining
by somewhereiusetobelong-inactive
Summary: Thrown into the world of Arthur and his knights along with two deadly threats with blood ties to her, Sophia goes from Romania 1887 to Briton 467 AD and finds herself is the deepest trouble she's ever been in and no way to get home. OC/OC Lancelot/OC
1. Chapter 1

**The Silver Lining**

**Summary:** Thrown into the world of Arthur and his knights along with two deadly threats with blood ties to her, Sophia goes from Romania 1887 to Briton 467 AD and finds herself is the deepest trouble she's ever been in and no way to get home.

**Rating:** Rated T-M for violence, supernatural/strong themes and later chapters.

**Genre:** Drama/Romance/Supernatural.

**Author's Note:** I'm back! Don't remember me? Awwww, it's okay I wrote An Enemy's Daughter, Captured Hearts and All That I'm Living For among a ton of other fiction under the penname to do with SAXON in it, but it changed constantly. And with a few really good ideas for the King Arthur fandom. It has been like two years and my writing has improved immensely since I left. I lost a ton of my King Arthur writing. To which I am not happy about at all as many were good but just needed improving, so... with that said, I will be having a few stories pop up a lot in a next few weeks King Arthur related and I hope you enjoy them.

Anyway first story to get on a roll back on here and I'd love feedback gang, its always appreciated. Chapter 1 ain't too long, but the next one will be a good long one, I promise.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own anything other than Sophia and the other characters not recognizable from King Arthur. Sophia and co are based very loosely off Van Helsing characters at points.

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**Chapter I**

_The clouded hills of Romania were infamous among its people for being home to some of the worlds most feared and strangest of creatures. The small villages that were scattered far across the lands were small, barely a population of two hundred at most, but that is the way the people liked it. Living among themselves they kept the secrets of the old days safe from the world outside of them. In the small village of Transylvania a castle was built close to the cliff face and overlooked the small farming town almost in the sense of a parent safe guarding its child as it played among others._

_The castle itself was old; it belonged to the Valerioius family line. Gypsy kings and queens who were said to have family secrets that would terrify even the purest blooded of men. The last of the line were only children, a brother and two sisters who lived to protect their heritage and the people from darkness, if only things were that simple though._

_Amongst the shadows of a long line, a tragedy occurred prior to the birth of the three children to Michkel Valerioius. His grandfather's first born son was cursed, cursed to live a life of immortality. Of course, it all sounds fun, until they realised how he would have to sustain his immortality and strength. Drinking the blood of living beings._

_Michkel, with his three children not more than fifteen, twelve and ten respectively could not let his children be faced with killing their own blood, did so himself. He lost his life to protect the thousands that would have been killed at the hands of his own kin._

_The death of Michkel and this creature however saw a secret bargain being revealed that no one would know of until people began to be attacked by an unknown creature in the night. Four long years passed by and the children of the Valerioius line grew, trained and fought to defend the innocent._

_They lived upon the vow to defend and fight to aid those who couldn't protect themselves, to fight for causes that were not their own._

_However, when the youngest child, Sophia, was only fourteen a terrible accident occurred. The eldest children, Zachariah and Clara had found the creature in which they had been hunting since the death of their father._

_One bite, one scratch from the beast would cause a human to become one of them. It was how they increased their numbers, but only certain few could take such an attack and become one of them. Zachariah and Clara were two such people..._

_In the next six years that followed, Zachariah and Clara became what they had always hunted; werewolves. Sophia encountered them on numerous occasions but she always managed to avoid being injured and avoid killing them. Warrior she may be, but sister she was also and her heart would not allow her to kill her older siblings no matter how many times she was reminded that they were no longer her family._

_And that is where this tale begins, not too long after Sophia turned twenty years old, on the day that would change her whole life..._

Sophia stood up against the thick wooden pole that had been placed in the center of the forest clearing, her hands crossed above her head as she looked around at the trees and shrub, trying to see the things that she was baiting herself for. Her heart beat rapidly in her chest as she let out probably her ten deep breath within the span of thirty seconds. Leaning her head back against the pole, she tried her best to calm her nerves, she had baited herself many times before, but never with the intention to stay longer than a chance to shoot one of them. This time was different.

A twig snapped to her right and she turned deep brown eyes in the direction that the sound came from, her heart speeding up as she tried to find the thing that was stalking her like prey through the thick shrub. A growl turned her attention to directly in front of her and she felt her fear spike suddenly before she remembered why she was doing this, telling herself that she wasn't allowed to run or save anyone should they fall. For the six years of innocents who have been killed at the hands of her siblings, for the people who may in future be targeted by them. For her family, to put an end to the shame that had they had been burdened with over the years. To end the curses that had been place upon their house.

"Come on you two, I'm not running this time," she said as a challenge to the beasts that were out there, watching her, her voice thickly accented.

The growl came again and Sophia focused in on a certain part of the shrub in which she was sure that it came from and her eyes widened as the moment the creature became visible to her sight it jumped out and charged at her like lightning. She managed to dive out of the way and when the beast ran into the pole she'd been against, the ground before it dropped away and it fell as a cage came up out of the ground, capturing the creature.

The villagers appeared out of their hiding places, armed with guns and other weapons and Sophia spun round from where she was watching the cage when someone screamed. Her heart leapt into her throat, she had gathered that the other wouldn't be far from the other, but hadn't realised that it would attack. The man it had just killed was tossed across the clearing like he barely weighed anything to it and Sophia gasped at the size of the creature. It jumped upon the cage, clawing at it, trying to break the metal. Sophia called out for the villagers to kill it. Shots were fired and as she drew her sword, ready to fight, the ropes holding the cage suddenly snapped at the weight of both creatures and Sophia shouted for everyone to run as the cage hit the crowd and broke open. She turned and took off running down one of the narrow paths trying to find her way through the trees.

Snarls and thudding made her look over her shoulder as her breathing became labored and short as she tried to gain speed and get away from the two of beasts. The feel of hot breath on her neck, made heart tighten in fear when she realised they would catch her, she wouldn't get away from them this time round.

A bright burst of light blinded her suddenly, causing her to trip over her own feet and just avoid the claws that would've grabbed at her flesh.

As she hit the ground her head collided with a boulder that suddenly appeared, knocking her unconscious...


	2. Chapter 2

_Fans you mean a lot to me and I am sorry for letting so many of you down in the past with stories. Anyway as I promised here is chapter two of The Silver Lining. Thanks to those who reviewed the first chapter, you're the best._

**_SHAMELESS PLUG HERE: Enjoy watching a trailer for this story on my new YouTube channel: FanfictionUnlimited and take a look round it, let me know what you think of the videos and have a look-see at the information on my here or on the channel for your chance to have me make a video for one of your stories._**

**_Follow me on twitter: FFnetUnlimited and I'll help promote your stories in anyway I can, that's what the account is designed for. Promoting the video trailers and also any fictions that truly do their fandom justice._**

**_Anyway, on with the story and an end to my ramblings. Enjoy!_**

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**Chapter II**

The four children were all huddled close together in the cart as they rolled along the old path that had been worn into the earth by the hundreds of other travellers and wagons that had been there prior to them. The cold weather signalled the end of their warmer days and the birth of another frozen winter. Rags barely covered the children and they were trying their best to keep warm as they watched the forests of their home pass by.

Days had passed since their tears and cries had stopped and they had become almost mute to their captors who rode ahead and alongside of the cart.

The territory they were in now, they had never seen before. The forests of their village were gone. Hills with only a few trees were all that they had surrounding them. The wagon jerked to a stop suddenly, throwing the group of children off balance. The eldest of the children peered out through the fur that was covering one side of the wagon where most of the raiders were. She was around the age of twelve summers and had bright brown eyes, skin as white as the full moon and hair that looked like some Pagan god had picked up dirt from the Earth and sprinkled it over her head when she was newly born.

Those wide eyes searched the faces of the men and wondered as to why they had stopped. An order was shouted out in Latin and she jumped in fright when one slammed his shield into the bars of the cage, right near where her fingers were curled round the bars. She pulled her fingers back in when he growled at her, moving back from the bars.

* * *

Outside, Rankor looked at his men and barked at them to make camp for the night, that they'd continue on in the morning. He got off his horse and let one of the others take it, moving towards the caged children and looking in at them. "Give them something to eat. We wouldn't want them to look poor when we get to markets," he said to one of the men who nodded.

He adjusted the leather jerkin round his wide middle which was the result of too much food and ale over his years and the slow decrease in his actions to prevent such growth. Almost walking with a small waddle in his step the man moved towards the fire the men were building up to warm themselves in the coming night. Ten men, Woad prisoners and a journey to the slave markets was a very long and tedious thing for him nowadays. Back in the days when his body had been strong and fit, he had been the one to capture the prisoners and walk on foot. After some years though, his health had begun to diminish and he had taken the place as leader and slave trader and not one of the dogs that followed the orders. Now he gave them.

As he made to sit down, Ilus rushed over to him and said that he found something that he might be interested in. Rankor told him to lead the way and four of the men joined them as they headed to where Ilus had come from. The small sea of trees that were just within sight and Ilus lead them only a few metres into it, before pointing to a boulder. Rankor looked at his generally clumsy and buffoon like goon with a raised eyebrow. "It is a rock, Ilus," he said and the others chuckled.

Ilus shook his head. "No, no, no behind it," he replied and pulled Rankor closer to it.

Glancing at his man, he stepped over to the boulder. Looking over it, a large cunning smile grew on his face. "Men, it seems Ilus has discovered a siren amongst the rocks."

The joke fell short on his men before he moved and grabbed hold of the woman's feet that lay unconscious on the ground, a gash on her forehead. They all stared at the body as Rankor dragged her into view and let go of her feet. He instructed his men to get her back to camp. Her clothing was strange and not familiar to him however it was not her clothing that would gain him a lot of coin from selling her at the markets. She was striking in appearance and he did not doubt that one or two of the higher payers at the Voreen markets would find enjoy the woman's beauty for their house as whatever they saw fit to do with her once she was theirs.

Never one to not notice a profit when he saw one, Rankor reminded his men to be careful and not damage such a rare find for them. They nodded and the largest of the men who stood clear of the others by two and a half heads lifted the woman from the ground and up over one shoulder, carrying her as though she was nothing more than just some sack of potatoes.

* * *

Sophia groaned as she began to come round, her head ached terribly and she struggled to remember what had happened for a few moments as she began to open her eyes. Feeling something poke her side, she glanced round. Four pairs of wide brown eyes were staring at her and she sat up, causing them all to move back. Looking round she found herself in a small cage like contraption it was cramped with the other inhabitants and Sophia wondered what had happened when she'd fallen unconscious.

Glancing at the owners of the four pairs of eyes, Sophia found four children watching her warily, huddled together and in nothing more than rags. Her heart broke seeing one looked barely older than three and was shaking. Putting her hands up in a peaceful gesture, Sophia asked them if they knew where she was, what had happened. The eldest of the group, or judging by her appearance she was, shook her head and started speaking in a language that was foreign to her.

Sophia's eyebrows knitted together as she tried to understand what the child was saying, however she couldn't and looked at the four children who all seemed a little more settled round her. Two of them were twin boys who aside from the difference in their hair lengths looked identical. Sophia decided to at least give communication another try and pointed to herself, saying her name slow and clear to the children. The eldest nodded after Sophia repeated herself a few times.

Sophia held her hand out to the girl, asking for her name. "Merwyn." She smiled at the child.

"Merwyn. That's pretty," she commented and saw the girl blush as if she knew what Sophia had said.

"Celcie," Merwyn pointed to the tiniest child of the group. Sophia's first instinct was to hug the petite child who looked as terrified beyond words.

"Vannic and Avinar." The two boys looked like they were plotting to attack something or someone at any moment and just as she made to try and speak to them again, a rustling and jangle of keys made her turn sharply and she crawled back away from what she now found was the door to their prison. It opened and she found men in strange clothing peering in at them all. Sophia didn't like this and as such lifted herself up slightly and place a well aimed kicked to the front man's face, knocking him back into the others and causing them all to fall down. Grabbing hold of Celcie, she climbed from the cart as the other three did, only to be grabbed suddenly. She struggled to get free of the man's vice like hold as the children were all caught and Celcie was ripped out of her arms.

One of the men, who was pudgy and round stepped forward and backhanded Sophia. He started speaking in yet another language that Sophia did not understand. Where was she? These languages were not common near her home. How far had she been taken while unconscious?

She screamed at the man to let her go and stomped on his foot and brought her elbow back up into his nose. He let her go and she made to grab her sword, only to find it- missing! Looking around as though it would be in plain sight, Sophia glowered at the man before her as he chuckled. She heard one of the children scream and turned to find them being thrown back into the cage. Something slammed into the back of her skull and Sophia's vision blurred and darkened as she fell to the ground.

* * *

When she came round again, she found the children all sitting against her back talking to each other quietly. Putting a hand to the back of her head, she found it was swollen and hurt to touch even with the utmost gentleness. The children all crowded over her when they noticed she was awake and Sophia decided that she much be somewhere north, for the children and men were not dressed at all like any person she had seen before. Their clothing looked like it dated back from the pages of her father's numerous history books.

Celcie climbed into her lap and Sophia felt her heart tighten as she wrapped her arms around the small child. Protecting the innocent and those who could not protect themselves was something that she lived by and now, now she was all but one of them. Whatever fate was to befall them Sophia was going to make sure that it was not whatever these men had planned, she would fight with bare hands if need be to protect these children, it was in her nature.

* * *

Sophia and the children were kept in their cage without food and water for what seemed like eternity. It was only four days, but Sophia was weak from the lack of it and the children were fairing worse than she was. A scrawny member of the group holding them prisoner had her sword. How did she know this? Because she had seen him fiddling with it two nights ago, inspecting it as though he had never seen a blade like it before in his life and then had given her a look or curiosity, as though he was attempting to work out who she was.

Her lips were cracked, dry and split. They stung whenever she wet them with her tongue and so now she had reduced herself to not doing that even. On the fifth day of their imprisonment Sophia was barely conscious, she couldn't think properly and as much as she tried to find strength to move, she couldn't. The corset that hugged her middle tightly was now loose on her and Sophia didn't think she could stay conscious much longer. They were holding them prisoner but if they intended to do something with them, like sell them then why would they starve them. She had gathered it was because of what she did but they had surely expected a woman to fight back when she was being held captive.

Sophia looked out of the cage and at the lush green forest they had entered not long ago. Its trees were tall and twisted, old and strong. When she shut her eyes, she heard a cry of pain suddenly and they snapped open, searching for what had happened. With what very little strength she had left, Sophia moved from near the bars of the cage as one of the men fell to the ground, an arrow lodged in his throat.

The children held onto her tightly and Sophia whispered an old Latin prayer she knew and heard fighting outside. Without her weapons and energy, Sophia felt defenseless and terrified of what was happening ahead of the wagon on which their cage had been built. Her heart pounded wildly in her chest as she heard an order be shouted out. She understood it. It was Latin. She could not help but wonder as to what language the children had been speaking to her then and the language of their captors for neither were Latin.

The sound of the keys in the door to their cage and the children all started whimpering or crying, afraid of what was about to happen to them, and Sophia tried to console them but it seemed like their captors had spread fear into the children easily by nearly killing them of starvation. When the cage door was pulled open, Sophia pulled the children to her as a man looked in at them. A second man joined him after he said something to Latin. They were not from the group of men who had been holding them prisoner.

They spoke again and Sophia tried to remember some of the Latin teachings that the friar had taught her as a child when they were deciphering ancient books and she had wanted to help him. Her mind was scrambled and light so trying to recall words at this moment proved to be quite difficult. She picked up some of what they were saying as she started to feel her body begin to give into the exhaustion, despite her struggle to remain conscious.

"Woad... her clothing... Lance we can't leave them to die..." Sophia's eyes rolled back in her head and the last thing she remembered was a pair of dark figure leaning over her.


	3. Chapter 3

**Props to Shelly, Sarah and DarkAngelPearl for their reviews. **

_SHAMELESS PLUG HERE: Enjoy watching a trailer for this story on my new YouTube channel: FanfictionUnlimited. More videos are being uploaded frequently and I also make videos for others if you'd like one._

_Follow me on twitter: FFnetUnlimited and I'll help promote your stories in anyway I can, that's what the account is designed for. Promoting the video trailers and also any fictions that truly do their fandom justice._

_Anyway, on with the story and an end to my ramblings. Enjoy!_

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**CHAPTER III**

Arthur sighed as Lancelot told him for the third time that morning that there was no trouble and they should head back. "You are just eager to see Vanora biting Bors' head off during labor or to try and make the new tavern girl swoon at your feet," he remarked dryly as he glanced at his lieutenant and best friend. The mischievously boyish smirk that grew across Lancelot's face made Arthur nod in answer to his own queries. "Dagonet said that she won't go into labor as quick as she believes and the tavern girl will be there for some time Lancelot at least, until you break her heart."

Lancelot just brushed his words off. "Pah!" The knight in question Bors, who generally could make any man cower or woman blush, sat on his horse with a placid look and a clear hint of terror in his eyes. No one understood how after eleven children, the man could be terrified of having them but then again, they weren't in his position currently, and they also did not have a lover like that of Vanora.

At twenty-eight summers old, Lancelot stood at five foot eleven in height with a strong and muscular build that had been formed after years of training and fighting on the island of Briton under service to Rome. Out of all the knights, he was considered to be the most handsome of the eight who remained of the infamous Badon Keep cavalry. As of this present time, he had aged well and his years of battle had left him scarred but in a way that most of the tavern women that he attracted found appealing to their eyes. Dark and thick curls hung just on his forehead and what stubble he had on his chin had been cut in a way that made him appear quite roguish when he got that well known smirk on his lips and his dark brown eyes danced playfully like he had just formed an ingenious plan in his mind.

Of the twenty knights who had originally been posted at Badon Keep the eight who remained were loyal to one man and that one man was Arthur Castus, a half-Roman half-Briton commander who had followed in the footsteps of his father and taken command of Sarmatian knights. His men each had traits that Arthur valued; Bors was strong of head and heart who fought like a bear no matter what the situation, Dagonet was a tall, dark and intimidating figure but with a healer's touch whose kindness knew no end to those who deserved or needed it, the three knights Gawain, Galahad and Agravaine were cousins from three different Sarmatian tribes and each had stubborn natures to them but none more so than the youngest one Galahad who had only been nine when taken, Tristan was the stotic scout with a gentle side that was only shown towards his pet bird that aided in his scouting for the party and Lancelot was- well he was Lancelot, arrogant, stubborn, a heart breaker but loyal and almost like a brother to his commander.

"Tristan ride-" Arthur was stopped in mid sentence when a party of men with a wagon came towards them down the narrow road that weaved through the forest. It was unusual for people to travel this route towards the sea as Woads infested the forest and there was a simpler but longer way round the danger of losing ones life. Most took the longer way as they could pass through Badon Keep and rest themselves or join a larger band of travelers. Anyone who came through this route made Arthur suspicious of their business.

The knights brandished their weapons as soon as they met the party of men. Arthur asked the leader of their business, his eyes not missing the wagon which was built like a cage. Almost as soon as he saw it, he knew exactly why these men were traveling this way. They were slave traders from Gaul who hadn't wished to be caught by people such as himself and his knights.

"We are just a party of men who catch wild animals and sell them to others, we catch rare creatures and find owners who look after them," the man remarked. It was said in such a way that made Arthur's skin crawl. He knew just what type of creatures this man dealt in.

"You will show us this catch them," Arthur stated in a authoritative tone. One of the men seemed on edge, almost like he was a nervous wreck and when he moved forward, Tristan aimed his bow on him, but the man didn't stop, thinking that it was just a gentle warning. Tristan gave no warnings to anyone. He loosed the arrow and hit the man in the throat, another already notched and aimed for the next man before the jittery one even fell to the ground.

"You would attack travelers who are doing nothing wrong?" the man roared at Arthur who merely raised his sword, pointing it at the cage.

"Slave traders are not welcomed nor tolerated," Arthur said. "You will open that cage, now." The man bristled up at Arthur's command and said he refused that he was free to do whatever he wished. Arthur gave him a half sided grin before saying that if his order went unanswered than he would place them all under arrest. The man did not look to be backing down from Arthur's threats and just told Arthur that he could not stop people from doing their work, it was not right. "Do not mistake earnest work for what you do trader, now- open the cage."

"Arthur, you don't know what they have in there," Lancelot remarked quietly enough so only his commander could hear him.

Arthur did not care, these men were slave traders, it was clear from the shackles hanging off the side of the cage what they were and it was something that Arthur was not going to let them get away with. He was determined to stop as much slave trading as he possibly could and he was not going to let anyone get away with it, not even lords would if Arthur had it his way. "Do as I say now, one of your men is already dead, would you like to join him?"

At the threat of death, the man seemed to cower a little. As he got off his horse and waddled towards Arthur and his men, Tristan trained his next arrow on him and when he got three steps from Arthur's horse, he shot him. The man seemed to almost turned stone like as he fell to the ground, the thud he made on the earth causing Arthur's horse to back up a little. The slave traders men all charged at the knights as soon as Tristan's arrow buried itself into the man's heart.

* * *

It was a quick and easy fight that saw the slave traders fall before they barely had a chance to put up a fight. Arthur told Tristan to find the keys on the leader and when he did, the commander did not fail to notice his scout pilfer the large coin purse from the man's belt. It made him grin a little actually. Tristan enjoyed pilfering items off the dead when he could and what he thought would be useful. The coin however he would be taking from him later. There was no telling how the men had come to gain such an amount of coin but Arthur wasn't going to let the scout keep it.

Taking the keys from him when he held them out, Arthur gave his knight a look. Tristan merely ignored it and went back to his horse.

Lancelot came to his side when he moved to unlock the cage, his swords drawn and just out of view of whatever may be in the cage when Arthur opened it. As his commander pulled the door open, Lancelot's grip on his swords tightened instinctively as his body shifted into an attack position. He heard Arthur curse and Lancelot immediately moved to stand directly beside him and look in on the prisoners of the cage.

He now had to hand it to Arthur, he knew when to stop people and question them on their business. A woman was in there with four small blue painted children huddling to her. They were Woads.

The woman, on the other hand, did not look like Woad; no blue paint covered her in anyway and she certainly was not dressed like any Woad Lancelot had ever seen before. From the small bit of light that was slipping through the furs that covered the cage, Lancelot was able to see that she could barely remain conscious. "How far do you think they've been brought?" Lancelot inquired as Arthur looked his shoulder to call for Dagonet.

"I'm not sure." Lancelot frowned and glanced back at the five in the cage. None of them looked to be fairing well at all however, the children were Woad. They were strictly speaking none of the knight's responsibility. They had no obligation to save them, however Lancelot knew Arthur would not leave the children to die.

"Arthur, we can't help them. We'll be endangering ourselves if we bring the children with us," he remarked.

"They're Woad, well the children are. Her clothing is strange, not like anything the Woads normally wear," Arthur commented, clearly dismissing what Lancelot had just said which angered the knight.

"They are free, now let us leave before we end up being hunted down by their kin," Lancelot pressed, stopping Arthur from climbing into the cage.

The commander looked at his friend and Lancelot knew from just the look in Arthur's eyes, his words weren't being heard. "Lance we can't leave them to die," he said and Lancelot pulled a face, trying to think of a way to convince Arthur that what he was about to do might give them more trouble than they need.

The woman collapsed suddenly and Arthur climbed in, leaning down over her to check her. One of the children tried to push him away, hitting him.

Lancelot had to hold back his snicker as the child shouted at his commander and it didn't take knowing the language to know that the tiny child was telling him to not come near them or the woman, especially when the tiny child hugged the woman.

"Arthur this is ridiculous, if we're going to help them at least get them out here," Lancelot said with a large sarcastic smile on his face when Arthur tried to lift the woman up only to have the child refuse to let her go.

Bors came over to stand at Lancelot's side and said to hand him one of the children. Arthur managed to pry the now crying three year old off the woman and pushed her into Bors waiting arms. His history with his own children came in handy as he cuddled the tiny child against his armour and sang to her in Sarmatian. It was a side to the knight that not many ever saw but at the moment Lancelot was grateful that it was at least consoling the child and silencing her crying. The next child was a much older girl who spat at Lancelot's feet. He made to grab her only she moved away from him.

Scowling at the girl, he found it returned by her. Dagonet took hold of her arm gently and gave her a small smile as she made to pull away from him.

Two boys followed and they stood shoulder to shoulder reminding Lancelot of himself and Arthur when they had been younger and trying to seem much bigger than they were.

Arthur asked for Lancelot's help and he turned to his commander as he made to hand the woman to him. Lancelot slipped his arm under her knees and his other round her back.

In the dark she had appeared to look fairly plain to Lancelot's eyes but when seeing her close and now out in the light he found that the woman in his arms was very striking in appearance. Dark brown long curls contrasted strongly against milky cream colored skin. Her clothing however drew his attention. It was strange and very foreign to what he'd ever seen.

"She isn't Woad," Gawain remarked as Lancelot walked over to his horse which Galahad was holding the reins of. He managed to get her onto the back of his horse before swinging up behind her and pulling her back against him.

"What is she wearing?" Galahad questioned as he curiously reached out to finger the long coat the woman was wearing.

"I'm not sure," Lancelot remarked before he glanced over at Arthur who was helping the Woad boys up onto his horse. Dagonet was looking after the girl and Bors it seemed had managed to aid the smallest child into resting a little as she now lay against his chest, her thumb in her mouth and her eyes shut.

"We need to get them some food and water," Dagonet remarked. He must have checked the girl for he added, "with haste."

* * *

They left the forest and found camp safely away from the path before they stopped for the night. It was not exactly a safe place but it was better than being out close to the trail and at least where they were had been the beginning of a small cluster of trees which hid their camp from the roadside, save for the flame of the fire. Lancelot dismounted and gently pulled the woman from his horse.

Dagonet told him to place her on the spare bedroll that he had and noticed Agravaine was curiously peering over his shoulder. Lancelot glanced at him slightly and saw him quickly turn away. Looking down at the unconscious woman, he reached out and brushed some the curls back from her face. She didn't even move when he did so and he quickly pulled his hand away when Dagonet came over to check on her.

* * *

The children were all sitting near the woman as though they were her protectors while she recovered. Dagonet had found a nasty bump on the back of her head which had lead them to wonder how she had been captured by the slave traders. The children were happy to finally eat and drink but they hadn't had too much, their stomachs weren't use to large amounts, especially after the amount of days that they had gone without both.

None of the knights were in the mood to sleep and as they all rested and talked, Dagonet continuously checked on the woman. "Where do you think they found her?" Dagonet inquired as he sat back down beside Bors.

"She isn't Woad," Gawain said.

"She isn't Roman," Galahad chipped in.

"Sarmatian?" Arthur mused and saw eight heads turn and stare at him as though he was a mythological hydra come to life. "Do not look at me like that; you all know I could be right in what I'm suggesting here and..."

A groan made them all fall silent. The woman stirred, her hands going to her head as she slowly sat up. The three year old seemed attached the woman as she cuddled into the woman's chest, making the woman look down and smile softly before hugging the child back warmly.

Arthur stopped up and slowly approached the small group. The woman looked up and her eyes widened before she moved back and away from Arthur as he came closer. He stopped and put his hands up in a gesture of peace as the others all sat silently behind him. "It is alright, we aided you. You're safe."


	4. Chapter 4

**Props to Shelly, Sarah, psychotic-nursingstudent and DarkAngelPearl, FactualLife (I hope I remembered that right) and Anime Princess for their reviews. **

_Enjoy watching a trailer for this story on my new YouTube channel: FanfictionUnlimited.  
_

_Sidenote: This as I said is not a regular OC falls back fic and I have greatly altered and fixed some parts of the timeline I had made up over the past little hiatus. _

_Let me know what you all think of it.  
_

_Anyway, on with the story and an end to my ramblings. Enjoy!_

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**Chapter IV**

The first thing that came to Sophia's mind as she awoke slowly and with a groan as the back of her head began to pound was that she had not been with her brother and sister when she had awoken the first time, then came the children who spoke a language she couldn't understand, her fear of dying in a cage before being able to stop her siblings, the men who had seemingly saved herself and the children from their prison and finally that she had fallen unconscious again.

She slowly sat up; her hands moving to her head which was light and yet felt heavy at the same time. Feeling something cuddle against her, Sophia looked down and found Celcie. A large wave of relief overcame her as the child smiled up at her before she wrapped her arms around the tiny girl, thanking god that they were alright. The sound of footsteps coming towards them made Sophia look up.

Her eyes widened at the sight of the man from earlier and she quickly moved back, trying to put distance between him and them. He stopped and put his hands up, as though in a gesture of peace. Sophia saw the group of men sitting behind where he stood and only inched back a little more.

He suddenly spoke and Sophia frowned a little. She could pick up only a few of the words. Sophia looked down for a moment, trying to remember something Latin as her head was still somewhat cloudy. "Ah... I don't speak... Latin well," she stammered as she tried to remember.

Seeing him smile a little and nod, Sophia relaxed a little. "Your name?" he asked.

She knew what he had said that time. "Sophia."

"Sophia. I'm Arthur Castus, commander of Badon keep," he continued though he spoke slowly so she would be able to understand him a little better. She nodded. "You're safe with me and my knights."

These men were knights? Sophia looked at the group of men. They looked more like a bunch of ragtag rebels and nothing like what she had seen in books that she'd read. Sophia slowly moved back towards the bed roll where she had awoken, searching for words so she would be able to ask the questions that she needed answers to. "Where am I?" she inquired. That was one thing that had been nagging at the back of Sophia's thoughts since first awakening. It wasn't like home at all. The people were dressed strange, they talked in languages that they really shouldn't for areas in or around Romania and on top of that, she had no idea where Anna and Zachariah were.

"Briton."

It was like she had just been punched in the ribs by her brother during one of their more close physical fights. That was impossible. She hadn't been unconscious for that long. "No. I can't be."

"You are lady," Arthur said. "You have taken some nasty bumps to your head, perhaps your mind is not recalling all that has happened to you."

Sophia gave him a pensive look; she'd caught half of what he'd said. "My head is fine," she grumbled in her own language and saw him frown a little, saying sorry and asking her to repeat what she'd said in Latin. Sighing heavily and knowing that they were the only help she had at the moment until she found out just exactly what had happened, Sophia didn't repeat what she said, opting to discover some more things out about this predicament she was in.

"What is the year?" she inquired. It was all too clear that she was not in the year 1887, she couldn't be. This man acted as though she was a lady who had just gotten lost and caught in a bad predicament. Sophia knew that she was in a bad predicament and that she was lost, but she was too headstrong to accept that at the moment.

Seeing him glance over at one of the men, Sophia climbed to her feet and held the back of her head, wobbling a little. She wasn't feeling all too good but that would pass as the bump went down. "The year, lady?" Arthur asked, looking at her curiously.

She rolled her eyes slightly. "Yes, the year. What is it?" she snapped this time. It was not fair that her sword had been taken from her by those men prior to these so-called knights helping her and the children, because she somehow guessed that it had not been picked up and was now laying among dead bodies probably lost for good.

"The year is 467AD, lady," he answered her.

She paused and looked at him in astonishment. The year was what-? For a second her head felt heavy and her eyes unfocused, she was close to fainting again. Determined not to collapse, despite that a pair of arms were suddenly around her helping her to stand, Sophia straightened herself up. "Are you alright, lady?"

_I am far beyond alright if what you just said to me happens to be correct_ she thought, pushing aside a sick feeling rising in her throat.

Sophia pulled a face as she looked up at Arthur. "My name is not lady. It's Sophia." She looked down as Celcie hook her hands around the buckles of her boots and stood in close to her leg, looking at Arthur with wide and frightened eyes.

"Sophie?"

She groaned. "Not Sop-hie, So-phi-a," she rattled off first in Latin before going off in Romanian, "Like Sophia the Martyr of Rome." That seemed to confuse the man before her even more. This was not good. How was she going to find the home of these children and give them back if she could not even communicate properly with the inhabitants of this accursed and strange place.

Where was Carl when she actually did need him? Probably off explaining to someone at the moment that he was still just a friar and not yet a monk of the Holy Order and so he could swear all he liked. She inwardly laughed a little. He knew Latin by heart, he would have no trouble in communicating with these men like she currently was but fortune had not seemingly sent Carl with her and so she had to find a way to remember the Latin that she had learned.

"So-phi-a," Arthur repeated her and she nodded. He smiled, turning away from them. "Rest, we head out at first light."

Sophia moved forward and found a sword landing against her wrist as she reached out to turn Arthur back to face her, still wanting some answers to other questions. She looked at the blade which in one clean swing would be able to remove her hand she had no doubt in that and from the blade, she followed it up to where a gloved hand held it steady and firm. Her eyes followed the arm up to the face of the man who owned the sword. At first she was a little taken back. The owner of the sword was extremely tall, especially compared to Sophia's stature and he had dark eyes, shoulder length black hair that was matted and messy. It half hid his face from her but what she could see, that had taken her back, was the bottom of a scar running dangerously close to his right eye and down his cheek, nearly to his jaw bone.

He seemed to flinch under her stare and turned his head away, giving her the chance to push the sword down and make Arthur turn to look at her. "I still have questions," she said as best as she could in Latin.

He nodded at her. "They can wait, we need rest."

"What about the children? Are you going to help them?" she demanded as he turned away. From some of the looks of the knights, Sophia gathered that there was a lot more to this predicament that they were all in then what she was being informed of. "They are just children."

"They're Woad." A gruff grunt came from one of the men who sat feeding a bird, not looking over at them.

Sophia shook her head not understanding. "What are Woads?" All the men turned to look at her and she gathered that she had just said something wrong or had shocked them.

"Woads are British rebels who hate Rome," a blond-maned knight mumbled to her. "People who want their country back."

She frowned, folding her arms across her chest. The way he had said it almost made him sound like that was what he wanted for his own country. "I do not understand what is going on here," she said, "they are children, who are frightened and probably want to go home."

Arthur shook his head at her. "We can't take them back."

Sophia looked at the man and then over her shoulder to the children who were all looking at her. She looked at the ground before meeting Arthur's eyes. "So you'll just let them go? And what hope that their own kind find them before something else does?" she accused.

The forest coloured eyes of the man's saddened before he lowered his eyes away from hers and looked at the ground. "It is not as simple as you may wish to believe, lady."

Turning, she walked over to the children and sat down on the end of the bedroll, letting Celcie climb into her lap to curl up and go to sleep as the other three relaxed onto the bedroll. She stubbornly kept her attention on anything but the men around the fire. Instead, she was stroking Celcie's hair back from her face as the child slept soundly. Even though her stomach growled and complained for food, Sophia refused to ask the men for anything, they were cold in her eyes. Any man who just abandoned children who needed help was not what she would call a knight in the least.

* * *

It was not long before exhaustion took over and Sophia was struggling to remain awake. She hadn't even realized that she had fallen asleep until someone shook her awake. Lifting her head up, she headed up knocking skulls with whoever was shaking her and they groaned. Celcie had moved out of her lap and she got up, apologizing to the person quickly. She found it was the same man who held the sword to her earlier. He shook his head and mumbled something to her.

"Sorry, what?"

He looked at her, or she at least thought he was- it was very hard to tell with his hair covering his face like it did. "They will be awake soon," he remarked, nodding towards the sleeping men, "and they'll want to move quickly. Wake the children up and eat." With that he started to walk off.

"Thank you. I'm Sophia," she said, not knowing what else to say.

He stopped and glanced over his shoulder at her. "Agravaine."

Sophia nodded and he disappeared into the forest surrounding the small camp after that. Despite confused by the man, she turned and found he'd left food for them. Looking over to where he had disappeared, Sophia smiled and crouched down, gently waking up the children.

* * *

It was evident from the look of Arthur's face he was a little surprised to find Sophia and the children already awake. The children were tired but they walked with Sophia who kept their distance from the knights. She looked over her shoulder when she heard someone walking up behind her.

The knight, Agravaine, nodded to her slightly and Sophia regarded him for a moment. He did not appear to be a talkative person and looked as though he was uncomfortable with Sophia and the children. She looked down as he walked by her. Carrying Celcie, she was surprised when Arthur asked her if they were alright.

"We're fine," she replied.

He sighed heavily. "La- Sophia, we are unable to return the children due to conflict between Rome and the Woads."

She quirked an eyebrow at him. "In other words, the natives do not agree with being forced to their knees and so they fight back, which clearly puts you and your men in the line of keeping _the rebels_ at peace?" she retorted.

A lot of laughter followed her broken up words. Clearly the knights found that amusing. "I like her," one commented, "she isn't afraid to speak her mind." Sophia discovered early that he was Bors. He was burly, big, bald and very gruff.

"What is Rome's hold like where you are from?" a young one asked. He was not much older than Sophia actually she guessed and his name was Galahad as she had found out by Arthur who had named each of the knights before they'd left the camp earlier that day.

Sophia knew of the knights of the round table from the books she'd read when she was smaller, however these men were not like the knights of the legend she knew of. "It does not matter," she lied, knowing that explaining things was clearly going to prove difficult if she said that Rome was both the same and yet different to what it seemed like in this age.

Surprisingly they did not press her on it and she breathed out a quiet sigh of relief. She however was still determined to either have their help to return the children or she would do it on her own.


	5. Chapter 5

**Thanks for the reviews lovelies. **

_Enjoy watching a trailer for this story on my new YouTube channel: FanfictionUnlimited._

_Let me know what you think of it, much appreciated! Another Silver Lining Video will be up soon along with a video for DAP *smiles*_

_NOTE: Agravaine looks like Aragorn in LOTRs however he of course has different styled hair and such but he is the basic model for him.  
_

_Anyway, on with the story and an end to my ramblings. Enjoy!_

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**Chapter V**

Sophia sat down on the grass, watching the children run around the trees nearby as Arthur made them all rest around noon. During the morning, after the first round of arguing and information, Sophia had let lose a second time on Arthur. It had really been the fault of the knight Lancelot who had made a comment about the cross pendant she wore, though by the look on his face the man had been more focused on her breasts than he had been the pendant. Arthur had questioned her on why she wore such a pendant, choosing not to notice his companions obvious staring at the time. She had folded her arms across her chest and just looked at Arthur saying it was her fathers and that she had been given it when he'd died years ago.

Her faith had been brought into question which had angered Sophia. Faith was something that Sophia held in both high and low regard. She knew what people would and could do in the name of "faith" and "religion" and it had never pleased her to know that those who did such vile things were human beings. Sophia held it in high regard as it was the only thing left that she knew of to pray to in order to rest her soul with the duty of which she was burdened to carry and all because her ancestors had forsaken god when they had not answered their prayers to save them.

Maybe that was why Zachariah and Anna had been turned, divine punishment for not holding their faith just like their ancestors.

She looked up when someone sat down beside her as she was watching the children. It was Arthur. Rolling her eyes as he began to talk, Sophia glanced at him sourly. "You must understand that for us to walk into Woad borders to return the children would make us easy targets," he started.

She shook her head and threw her hands up in the air. "As I said, I do not need your help," she snapped, "I'll do it myself if it is so hard to try and make some peace for five mere moments and not soak the ground with more unnecessary bloodshed!"

"I will not put my men at risk! I have lost enough of them!" Arthur replied back quickly, pointing a finger at her.

Sophia stood up and planted her hands on her hips, looking down at the man. "I take it you are not use to women talking to you like you are beneath them Arthur but listen to me when I say that taking three children into a world they are not use to is not going to result in anything good. Take it from someone who knows what she is talking about."

Turning Sophia walked towards the children. She felt a hand grab her arm suddenly and Sophia turned, moving to hit the person who had grabbed her. It was the silent and scarred knight Agravaine. He caught her hand and mouthed something to her. "You really need to learn to speak up, knight," she told him.

A brief flash of a smile pulled at the corner of his mouth before it was gone. "There is a Woad village not far from here," he repeated. Sophia smiled up at him and then looked over at Arthur who did not look too pleased with what his knight had just told her.

"Which direction?" she inquired, glancing back to Agravaine who had very quickly let her go after a second or two.

He just pointed to behind where the children were and Sophia turned, heading for them. "You can not just walk out into the forest on your own lady and without weapons!" Arthur called.

She looked over her shoulder at him. "Least I'm trying to do the right thing," she shot at him and Arthur looked towards his knights and then at the lone knight standing between the two parties.

Agravaine didn't say a word, he just nodded his head to Arthur before following Sophia and the children. "Agravaine, it is a fools errand!" Gawain called to his cousin who just waved a hand at them.

Galahad shook his head as Bors laughed at the scene. "Come Arthur, we'll meet him at the crossroads," Tristan, the scout of the knights, commented to his commander.

Arthur glanced at Lancelot who just lifted his shoulder up. "He is right, that is where Agravaine will be heading once and if they actually accomplish the fools errand."

"Ya got to admit the lass has got quite a spirit, wouldn't want anything bad to happen to her, I like having her round already," Bors said aloud making most of the knights laugh at the look on Arthur's face at that.

"Lord help me if we cross a Roman unit," Arthur muttered as he climbed back onto his horse and started for the crossroads.

* * *

Agravaine was walking tens behind the five of them and Sophia couldn't help but be amused by him. "You know, you do not have to walk all the way back there," she told him. After a few more steps, he was walking just behind her. "Thank you for helping me, you didn't need to if it will cause trouble between yourself and your leader." She didn't get an answer and Sophia looked at him. "You do not talk much do you?"

He glanced at her and quirked an eyebrow before Sophia just shook her head. "I talk when I need to," he said back quietly.

"Fair enough but you know I'm not going to tell that you talked to me if that is what it is going to take to get you to," she stated. She heard a soft chuckle. "Maybe you could give me some answers to questions I have been waiting to ask?"

"What questions?"

Sophia smiled. "Well for one, history? I am somewhat lost on what is actually going on around here and why Arthur is so..."

"He is part Woad. His mother was one. His father was Roman," Agravaine begun as he fiddled with his knee length sleeveless jerkin slightly, "His father was a commander here in Briton and Arthur followed in his footsteps. Us, his knights, or whatever Rome would like to call us to make us sound important to the world are slaves."

Sophia glanced at him as he sighed heavily. "Over three hundred years ago, Rome invaded Sarmatia, a wide and spread out tribal nation. The army fought and were defeated but the legendary cavalry of Sarmatia remained. Rome, decided not to kill them that day... Instead they were incorporated into the Roman army, made into _knights_ who were forced to serve Rome for fifteen years of their lives," he paused and breathed in deeply, "Those who survived returned home but Rome made them swear to give their sons, and their sons and so on to Rome to serve as knights around the Empire. We're some of the last of the odd twenty that we traveled here with nearly fifteen years ago."

"So you'll be free soon?" she asked.

He nodded. "Just under four months," he answered.

"You don't like Rome but you serve a Roman?"

"Half," he corrected, pointing at her, "And Arthur is a man that I would die for. In all these years he has shown us that he is a leader, we are his men but we are also his brothers, we protect each other."

She pursed her lips, taking hold of his arm, stopping them both. "I don't understand why you're helping me then."

He looked down and then to the children before shaking his head and telling her he'd spoken enough and they needed to move quicker.

* * *

Sophia could sense when they were in Woad borderlines when Agravaine told her to keep in behind him and the children to not run around. Arrows landed at the feet of the knight as he made to step further ahead at one point and he drew a short sword and a broad sword as the children hid behind Sophia.

It surprised Sophia when the men stepped out of the forest like ghosts, dressed in rags and blue paint. She wondered if they spoke Latin.

"Why are you here, knight?" a skinny one inquired.

They did apparently. Sophia stepped round Agravaine who made to say something to her. "He is here to help me."

After a few murmured words between all the Woads clearly about her clothing, the leader stepped towards them. "And your business in our borders?" he pressed.

Sophia turned slightly and motioned towards the children. Before Sophia could blink, one of the men rushed forward and dropped to his knees to hug the two small boys. He was their father. A blonde woman appeared, surprising Sophia, and approached Celcie who was in Sophia's arms after the other three children had been taken care of. It was clear the eldest of them was not of this village as she moved to the leader and nodded to him before two women came and pulled her away.

Celcie didn't initially want to leave Sophia's arms until Agravaine pried her away and handed her to her mother. He pulled Sophia back by the shoulder as the Woads all disappeared back into the forest. "Its better that you forget them," he told her.

She nodded. While happy that they were now safe, Sophia had grown fond of the children. Agravaine said to her they had to head back before they outstayed their small welcome.

* * *

Arthur was pacing across the camp they had made at the crossroads that night. As much as the lady irritated him, there was something mysterious about her that made Arthur wondered not only of where she was from but how she had gotten to Briton and in such a bind as what they found her in.

When the knights were stripping off to swim in the river that was just near the crossroads and the camping grounds, Agravaine and Sophia returned. He noted their was no injuries on either of them and that the children were no longer with them. Arthur did not say anything to her except that she was to stay here while they went to the river.

He did try to question Agravaine, but like Tristan, he was a man of few and far between words. His reasons though were entirely different to Tristan's. Agravaine was only two years younger than Tristan who was thirty-three, the knight was the eldest of himself and his two cousins and also a man who Arthur respected greatly due to what he had endured.

Nine and a bit years ago, they had been in a raid on a small Woad village. Their orders had been to kill and all Woads that they were to find in the village. Agravaine had gone into one of the huts and came out with a small little girl in his arms. The Roman soldiers, who had been with them during that raid, had attempted to take the child off him and kill her. He had fought back to protect the child who had done nothing wrong to anyone, she couldn't when she was only two back then from what Arthur had guessed.

Agravaine in the fight had been slashed across the face. It ran from above his left eyebrow, between both, down and extremely close to his right eye before finishing near his right ear just an inch of two above his jaw.

That had physically wounded him to where he had been unable to fight back and save the child. Since then, he had become closed off and withdrawn. He and Tristan had become closer after that and Arthur knew Agravaine had helped Sophia with the children, whether he agreed to it or not, because of that day.

* * *

Sophia had been talking to one of the horses when the first of the knights returned. "Did I say you could touch him?" She jumped and spun round. Lancelot smirked at her, shaking his damp black curls as he walked over to her, fixing his armour back up properly.

"I'm... I'm sorry," she said, quickly moving away from the horse.

The knight laughed. "I was only playing with you lady. He likes pretty female companions who give him some attention," he replied, smiling at her. Sophia had to hand it to the curly-haired knight that he was very attractive and confident around her. Judging by the looks she had already received from him during the day that Lancelot was very good at charming women. Galahad returned next, telling Lancelot to knock it off that she was not some tavern girl.

Sophia smiled at the young knight, which had made him go a little red in the cheeks.

When the others returned, Sophia was told that she could go down to the river if she wanted. She didn't. Sophia was not that dirty and she could stand a few more days without washing. She had more important things to worry about over being clean.

Zachariah and Anna. She had not asked or spoken of them to Arthur and his knights and she really didn't know how to. What would she say to them about it if they asked where she had last seen them? Tell the truth about how they had been about to kill her.

* * *

The snow fell down around him, leaving him cold and shivering as he trudged through the thick white blanket. He was holding his pants up around him which had been ripped during his change. Seeing the small fires from ahead, he smiled wolfishly. He had said he would return and return he did. The men who greeted him were not exactly smart and it took them quiet a few moments to realize who he was.

When they finally did realize who he was, they immediately retreated back a few steps.

"Nervous bunch ain't they?" He looked over his shoulder as his sister came up behind him. He chuckled and nodded in agreement.

"Very," he added, looking back to the soldiers who had their weapons drawn.

"Down boys," she said, smirking at the men. Following his sister, he growled at the soldier he passed, laughing as the man jumped back quickly and ended up falling over. "You think she ended up near here?" she inquired.

"I've been hunting and trying to sense her but I can't," he answered.


	6. Chapter 6

**Thanks for the reviews lovelies.**

_Enjoy watching a trailer for this story on my new YouTube channel: FanfictionUnlimited._

_Let me know what you think of it, much appreciated! Another Silver Lining Video will be up soon along with a video for DAP *smiles*_

_Anyway, on with the story and an end to my ramblings. Enjoy!_

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**Chapter VI**

Sophia sighed as she sat behind Lancelot who had insisted that she not walk anymore and ride with him. Though she was somewhat awkward on a horse and especially while holding onto the knight in question Sophia was glad to not be walking for the time being. He seemed to enjoy talking- about himself- a lot.

By the smirk on Arthur's face, he was enjoying this greatly. She pulled a face and asked Lancelot just exactly how many women he had taken to his bed. By his words, he had taken quite a large number but Sophia did not know whether that was entirely true or not. "Believe him lass," Bors said as he chuckled, "we do not need to hear of every one of them he has bedded."

"All those women- have you ever loved any of them?" Lancelot looked over his shoulder at her and then away.

"No," he told her plainly.

Sophia nodded. "So you just use women?" she pressed. Gawain snickered slightly. "It is not funny!" He sobered up and turned his gaze away from hers. "You treat women like they are nothing more than things to be used and then thrown away, with little regard as to what they may feel towards you. Tavern girls and whores are different but what of others?"

"Lady do not treat me as though you know me or the others, and women to me are better for nothing else," he told her which made Sophia angry.

She glowered. "Better for nothing else? Your ego is far greater than it need be knight. Is your regard for women so low? Is that why you wield twin swords? To compliment your ego?"

"Yes to all of the above," he replied sarcastically. The rest of the knights found the disagreement extremely amusing to watch. Lancelot was for once being questioned and so far being unsuccessful in trying to gain Sophia's eye. She was much more headstrong and spirited unlike the women at the tavern and around the surrounding areas of Badon Fort. "Is that more than just a little anger toward me because I'm a man that I sense?"

"Yes! You are the quintessence of every male on this earth who treat women like they are beneath them! You use us; betray us; and then spit us out like we are rotted fruit!" she snapped at him.

Lancelot chuckled and shook his head. "And this is opposed to the sweet, ungrateful creatures of the world that you women are? We not only protect you; we also feed you; we clothe you; we- give you a purpose for living. And this is the gratitude?"

Sophia climbed from the horse. "You were born of a woman!" she shouted at him.

Lancelot sneered at her and got off the horse, grabbing Sophia by the arms and grinning smugly at her. "Correction I was born of a man."

She growled and slapped him. "Learn to respect women because as you can see I am not some girl who is going to trip over her own feet to gain your attention or a chance in bed with you!" He glared at her before letting her go and huffing, folding his arms across his chest as Sophia proudly smirked. "Wound your pride knight, did I?"

He refused to answer her which pleased her beyond words. "Arthur?" Lancelot called out in desperation.

The man in question refused to turn round least his second in command and close friend see the grin on his face. Like Sophia or not, the woman had a very unique presence and character to her.

She challenged. She fought. She was strong. Lancelot would be attracted to all of that because he always had liked a woman in which he could fight to gain the affection of. However, if her affection was anything like her temper, Arthur prayed Lancelot diverted his attention to another girl quickly.

* * *

Sophia had refused to ride with Lancelot after that and when Arthur had told her of the long walk she would have, she had climbed onto the back of Agravaine's mount, much to his surprise. "Looks like Aggy made a new friend," Lancelot teased as he rode by them.

"Call me Aggy again Lance and I will knock you to the ground and maim you, comrade or not," Agravaine snapped.

The apparent healer of the group, Dagonet, just reinforced Agravaine's comment by stating that he was not going to be the one cleaning Lancelot up. There was only so much that the knights could take at times of Lancelot's dry and somewhat over needed humor or teasing and after Sophia's win over him earlier, they were fairly tired of hearing him complain about things- women especially. Sophia did get a word in occasionally to strike him down and put him in his place but she had stopped, fed up and knowing that he was not going to agree with her anytime soon.

Agravaine was quiet after his comment to Lancelot and Sophia tightened her arms around his waist slightly and watched him glance over his shoulder at her as they dropped to the back of the group. "Yes?"

"Sorry for just climbing up here with you," she apologized quietly. He shook his head.

"Do not worry over it Sophia, he can be- a handful," he replied making her giggle a little at his choice of words. She stopped though realizing that he hadn't called her Lady but had said her name. "Arthur isn't going to stop and camp for the night."

"Why?"

"Because the Fort is not far and if we keep going we'll arrive before dawn," he explained.

Sophia nodded. "Do you mind if I sleep against your back? I am not use to traveling long distances without resting."

"No, and I won't let you fall," he said to her. Sophia smiled. It seemed she'd made a friend in the knight. However she was curious to know what happened to him to cause such scarring across his face. She gathered it might not be a subject he liked to talk about but she would find a way to get it out of him, or maybe one of the others.

* * *

A slight jolt woke Sophia up who took one arm from around Agravaine's waist in order to rub the sleep from her eyes. "Where are we?" she inquired.

"Quiet," Agravaine murmured.

She looked round his arm a little and found Arthur off his horse and speaking with someone, a man, in a skirt? "Is he wearing a skirt?" she asked.

Agravaine chuckled slightly. "The under cloth is and the leather lappets are pteryges. Its uncomfortable to wear," he stated. Sophia gave him a funny look. "Before we became knights, we did training in Centurion armour."

She shook her head. "There is so much to keep up with. So who are they?"

"Centurion guards, sent out probably to collect a high ranking personality from near the coast."

She glanced at the men in front of the knights and decided that she didn't like the look of any of them one bit. When they moved by, Sophia saw a few of them notice her and she quickly looked away. Strong she may be, but she was not entirely stupid and those men, if she read her history right could be nasty and gruesome when they wanted to be.

* * *

She didn't know whether it was nerves that kept her awake after that but Sophia kept looking over her shoulder and she was surprised when Agravaine asked her if everything was alright. "I just don't feel comfortable, not on the horse but like I have something about to jump out from behind and grab me," she answered. He pulled his horse to a stop and climbed off suddenly.

"Move forward." She did as he said and found him getting up behind her.

"You really didn't need to do that," she commented.

"Be quiet," he replied and Sophia smiled a little, clearly he didn't like being praised very much.

Another knight came up suddenly out of nowhere beside them, scaring Sophia. "You scared her," Agravaine remarked and clearly sounded a little amused.

"Why is she riding with you?"

Sophia smirked. "Because I got sick of riding with an egotistical idiot," she interrupted Agravaine as he made to answer. A raised eyebrow from the other knight made Sophia smile meekly. "Well he is an idiot."

"I have no doubt that he can be," he grunted back to her.

"Who are you? Sorry you weren't around when Arthur gave me names."

"Tristan, a scout," he introduced himself and Sophia nodded, noting the tattoos on his cheeks with slight curiosity.

* * *

The sun had barely pierced the sky when the fort came into sight and Sophia swallowed a thick lump of fear in her throat. She most definitely was back in the year 467. The fort was large and the surrounding area was full of farms. When they rode through a set of wrought iron gates, Sophia could only stare at the people who greeted them along the streets. A sea of children ran in and out of the line of horses and she wondered how none of them were trampled on with how close they got to the creatures at points.

They entered a small courtyard which ended up having the gates shut on the villagers and children. Stable hands took hold of the horses and the knights dismounted. Agravaine held a hand out to her. She had quietly told him that she was stiff from the long ride of which she wasn't use to and so he steadied her when her leg muscles tightened up when her feet hit the ground. After a second or two she was fine and he released her quickly, moving off to where Tristan was heading down a corridor.

Arthur approached her. "Lady, this is Jols," he said, waving a hand to the man who came up beside him. "He will show you to a room in the knights corridor, you can rest and then we must talk."

It was so formal that Sophia was actually somewhat confused but followed the man. "I'm Sophia," she said.

"Nice to meet you Sophia, quite an interesting set of clothes ye are wearin'," he mused as he stopped at a door suddenly. Sophia smiled a little. "Well here it is, you can rest or explore it is your choice, but be back here in an hour and I will show you to the great hall where Arthur and ye will be talkin'."

She thanked him and said she was going to explore. Heading back to the courtyard, she was grabbed suddenly by the elbows and dragged out the now open gates and down the street. Gawain and Galahad had hold of her. "Where are you taking me?" she asked, somewhat scared.

"Nowhere," Gawain replied.

"What do you mean nowhere? You grabbed me and started dragging me down the street, you must have a destination in mind."

Galahad laughed a little. "Nope, we just thought we'd be helpful guides on your first walk around the fort."

"I need to be back at my room in an hour," she said.

"Don't worry we'll get ya back there safe and sound and in one piece," Gawain reassured her.


	7. Chapter 7

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**Chapter VII**

An hour walking round the fort with Gawain and Galahad not only was informative but also amusing as all heck to her. They were lively for their age but maybe that was because she was listening so intently to every word that they said. When they returned her to her room, Sophia looked at the very inviting bed and had just crawled onto it when there was a knock on the door. Sophia groaned and climbed from the bed, knowing that it was Jols. Opening the door, Sophia smiled at him. "I see that they brought you back safe, sound and with no limbs missing," he remarked jestingly.

Sophia laughed and nodded at him before following him further down the hallway of rooms and through two other halls before he stopped in front of two large doors. "The Great Hall?" she asked. He nodded and knocked before sticking his head in. After a moment, he pushed the door open and stepped aside to let her in.

She came to a stop abruptly, a little taken back by what she was presented with. In the center of the large hall was a fire burning strongly and around it was a round table. It was amazing. The stories were right, Arthur did sit at a round table among his knights. The table looked like it originally had held around thirty men or so. Now what remained of the knights sat around it scattered. Arthur sat nearby Lancelot and he stood when she had walked in. Though she understood that in this time, she should not act the way she normally did and had so far, Sophia refused to become a quiet and yielding woman. She wasn't raised to be like that.

Putting on the best smile she could muster, Sophia approached Arthur who pulled a chair out for her. "You really need to stop treating me like a lady. Its uncomfortable," she told him as she sat down beside the seat he had pulled out for her. After a second or so, he nodded hesitantly and sat back in his own seat. She was opposite the table from Agravaine who was reclining back beside Tristan. The two men in themselves were odd, but from what she had already learned were extremely loyal to their leader.

They both looked more like mercenaries than they did knights, even when they were a little more cleaned up. Tristan was cleaning his fingernails with his dagger which Sophia found to be an amusing but also nervous sight. Galahad and Gawain sat a seat down from Tristan, and were talking to each other quietly, hunched in close. Bors sat directly beside Gawain and he was drinking, at this time of the morning she gathered he was a heavy drinker. Lancelot was just sitting there watching Arthur and also her every so often.

"You're a very strange bunch of knights," she said aloud suddenly. Arthur chuckled a little as they all looked at her before going back to what they had been doing. She shook her head and turned her eyes to Arthur. "So, you wanted to talk?"

He nodded. "I had some questions I'd been meaning to ask you." Sophia just pulled off her gloves and set them to the side before crossing her arms on the edge of the table. Arthur took it that she was fine with doing that now and in front of all the men by the way she relaxed herself. "Where are you from? You've an accent I've never heard before."

_And aside from me, you probably never will again_ she thought. "Romania."

"I'm sorry, where?"

Sophia looked around the table when everything fell silent. They were all listening in. She looked at the Roman guards around the room and asked Arthur to send them out, that what she needed to say was only for their ears. Arthur complied with her request and sent them out. "Um... it is sort of hard to understand what I'm about to say but... I'm not from here. This time," she said, looking down at the table.

"Time? Not from here? What do you mean?"

Sighing, she asked if they had a map that she could look at for a moment. "It would help me explain and clear up everything you may be wanting to ask me," she told him. He nodded and after a moment or so she was handed a map. Sophia looked at it for a moment before getting up and moving to Arthur's side, putting the map down in front of him. She put her hand directly over where Romania should have been on the maps in her time. She couldn't read the name of what it was called now. "This is where I'm from. Romania should be there but it isn't because it does not exist yet, the country itself has not formed."

"That land is part of Sarmatia," Arthur stated, looking up at his men. "I wasn't entirely wrong, was I?"

Sophia frowned slightly and looked at the knights. "So what you're saying is that you're Sarmatian?" Galahad inquired, looking extremely happy at the moment.

She shook her head. "No... This may be hard to understand but I am not originally born in the fourth century."

"I find that hard to believe," Arthur remarked.

Pulling a face at him, Sophia paced for a moment before deciding that telling them the truth was going to be the only way to make them understand. Turning round to look at Arthur, she let out a deep breath. "The reason why my clothes are so different, why I speak a language that none of you have ever heard before, why I do not understand for the life of me what is going on around here is because..." she trailed off, looking down for a minute, "I'm from the future."

It sounded more ridiculously unbelievable even now as she said it aloud. There was a loud silence in the room right before the men began laughing. Arthur put his hand up to silence them. "That is quite impossible."

"Not really... I- I- I mean, I don't understand exactly how I went from the year 1887 to the year 467 by just falling over and knocking my head on a large rock very well but it is the honest truth," she said to Arthur and felt stupid when they still didn't believe her. "You don't believe at all do you? I am not crazy. Look, I am Romania, my father and mother were... My home, will not exist for some time but it will be real and I know because you are nothing more than myths and legends in books. This," she waved her hands around at the room in emphasis, "I should never have seen for my own eyes but I am and I am not lying, whether you chose to believe me or not."

Arthur said something about not understanding how it was possible.

Sophia shrugged her shoulders as she sat back down. "As I said, I do not understand how I got here exactly but I am here, plain and simple."

"What were you doing before you were knocked out?" Lancelot asked, looking at her as though regarding her in a slightly different way now.

That she refused to answer and so she made up a lie. "I can't remember it well but I was running, I know that much, from what- I don't recall." Of course she did but the lie was much better than the truth.

Arthur scratched his chin as he looked at her. "Would you mind answering a few more questions?"

"First, do you believe me? Even in the slightest that I am telling you the truth," she replied. Arthur nodded.

"I do believe you. You have not lied to me yet as far as I can tell. How do you plan on returning to your time though?"

That made Sophia shut her eyes. "I- I- honestly don't know. Returning the way I came doesn't exactly seem possible, there would have to be something or someone in this time that can help me, but it is a matter of searching them or it out," she answered. In her mind, she already knew what she was going to have to do, she just wondered whether or not Arthur would aid her a little with it. "So, your other questions?"

* * *

Sophia discovered that once she had told the truth, the knights steered clear of her for the remainder of the day. It was a small relief as she had just returned to her room, removed her long coat, her jacket, corset and boots, and slipped in beneath the blankets of her new bed. Though it was not like her own back in her time, it was comfortable and Sophia relaxed against the cool pillows, wiggling herself further down into the bed as she shut her eyes with a contented sigh.

A weight had been lifted off her shoulders. Though there were still burdens, worries, discomforts and strain on her mind and body, Sophia was glad that Arthur believed her and had not done something like call her a witch and thrown her into prison.

Her mind wondered as she slept, her dreams changed numerous times through her rest; first she was back home in the forest, waiting for Zachariah and Anna, then she was just a little girl, sitting on her father's lap and he had been telling her about what their family was and what they had to do to protect the world and then she came to a dream that confused her and woke her from her sleep.

Sitting up sharply, Sophia looked round the room to find candles had been lit, the window shut and a fire had been started in the hearth. Gathering that it was maids who had done so, she laid back down, rolling onto her side and facing the fire. It was obviously dark out and Sophia wondered where the knights would be, though her head was telling her that they most probably did not want to be within ten steps of her after what she had confessed.

* * *

The knights in question were in the tavern, drinking and just relaxing like many of the fort's people were doing. They however were all sitting at a large table, solemnly. "Do- Do you think she is really telling the truth?" Galahad asked.

Tristan looked over his shoulder at Agravaine who was leaning back against the wall behind him. "She was," Tristan said gruffly. "Her eyes give her away. She wasn't lying."

"Wow," Galahad breathed out softly before taking a long sip from his drink.

"She said that her home was right where Lancelot came from," Dagonet mused. "That means she is Sarmatia, technically while she is here."

Lancelot shook his head. "She is not Sarmatian."

"Oh aye, I agree with Lance here on this one," Bors piped up and some of his comrades just looked at him in disbelief before he grinned widely. "She's much too good looking to be Sarmatian."

Lancelot chuckled and the other knights laughed at their friends joke. Bors' attention quickly diverted to the red head who stopped alongside of him, her belly swollen to the size of a watermelon almost from her pregnancy. "How's the little one doing?" he inquired, slipping his arm around her waist and gently pulling her into his lap.

She smiled. Vanora was truly a strong woman. This was her eleventh child with Bors and probably not her last. They were young when they had first met and a child had graced their worlds only a year later. "Good. So who was the woman you brought back with you?" she asked of the knights.

"Her name is Sophia, she is not from Briton or Rome. She is in a way, Sarmatian and I guess she'll be staying at the fort for the time being," Gawain told her.

Vanora looked up. "Well I must say that if she is Sarmatian, Bors is thoroughly mistaken on Sarmatian women appearances," she commented. Most of them turned to where she was looking when she said that and found Sophia coming into the tavern. "I think I'll go and say hello."


	8. Chapter 8

**Thanks for the reviews lovelies. **

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**Chapter VIII**

Sophia glanced round nervously when she found the tavern. It was a warm enough night that she had left both her coat and jacket back in her room. She was a little surprised when a heavily pregnant woman came over to her with a large smile on her face. Sophia did not know what to do as the woman held a hand out to her. The woman regarded her for a moment before looking down at her hand. "I ain't gonna bite ya, lassy," she piped up. "I'm Vanora, Bors' lover, owner of this here establishment. Nice to meet the girl who managed to out smart Lancelot."

It made Sophia smile before she took hold of the woman's offered hand. "Sophia Valerioius, um... gypsy and he is easy to out smart, I'm surprised he has bedded so many women."

Vanora laughed and shook her head. "The tavern girls see a handsome knight and they don't care about anything else. Lancelot finds it fruitful, he gets the pleasure without needing to say much at times," Vanora told her, making Sophia giggle.

"Well I am glad that I am not alone in my disliking of his nature and attitude," she mused, smiling widely.

Vanora laughed. "I am glad to find a woman who isn't attracted to him instantly. I doubt he'll ever change. Which is a shame cause the man can be very nice at the right times." That made Sophia giggle. "Well, come I think sitting with our knights is in order."

She began pulling her towards the table, only Sophia protested. She was still worried about what the knights were thinking of her now that they knew the truth. "Ah hush lass," Vanora ordered, pushing her down onto the end of the bench beside Tristan.

"Hush to what?" Galahad asked, smiling at Sophia who returned it with a small one.

"Nothing, the lass just needs a drink," Vanora stated, moving to get a mug for Sophia.

She quickly got up. "Please, I don't drink," she said which left the table of knights silent. She laughed a little.

"You don't drink?" Gawain protested.

Sophia nodded as she sat back down. "It is not that big of a deal, I do not drink, simple really," she shot back and Gawain pouted at her, complaining that drinking was one of the best things she was missing out on. Scoffing, she noticed the way Vanora was gripping her back slightly as she went towards the bar and got up, heading for her. "How far along are you?"

"Oh," Vanora startled a little and smiled when she glanced at Sophia, "Any day now actually. This will be number eleven."

Sophia stared in shock at the woman who saw the look and laughed. "El-eleven children?" Vanora nodded. "How do you keep up with them all?"

"I can't. They never cause trouble, the older few help when meant to and they are all home safe and sound at night. The knights and friends we have here keep watchful eyes on them too," she explained and Sophia looked over to the rather rowdy bunch of Sarmatian knights before glancing back at Vanora.

"You should ask her what they are named," Agravaine said low as he walked by and Vanora hit his arm lightly, scolding him playfully as he went into the back of the tavern.

"Why did he say that?" Sophia asked curiously.

Vanora laughed. "They don't have names, well save for Gilly who would be number six if Bors hadn't named him."

"Number six?" It dawned on Sophia. "You gave your children numbers instead of names."

The pregnant woman nodded with a large smile which made Sophia grin, despite she found this place to be quite crazy Sophia was also extremely curious about it all. Agravaine reappeared a moment later with a green and red apple in hand. He must have noticed her looking at him, actually she knew he noticed that she was because he nodded his head to her as he passed by her again. "Say lass, would you mind helping me out a bit round here? I mean the boys said you were staying on for the time being and well, I'm not able to do much cause of the baby, and I would pay you."

Sophia could see Vanora was a very good woman and would've offered to help as it didn't seem she had many workers. Three young girls and a man behind the bar itself. "I would love to help out in any way I can, need to be useful and earn my stay here." That had Vanora laughing as Sophia clapped her hands together.

* * *

By the time the tavern closed up for the night, Sophia felt like she'd just endured a round of target practice, however she had not been the one practicing. The men who she had served seemed to like the fact that her pants were so tight they could grab at her rear when she came near them. It had taken Sophia all of five seconds to nearly break one man's arm when he had pulled her down onto his lap and tried to fondle her. After that, she received looks but no touches which worked for her as she could brush off those looks easily and without care of who was sending them her way. She was doing this for honest reasons and not like the three young women who worked alongside her. As she headed for the courtyard which lead into the knights living areas and such, Sophia noticed two of the girls with Roman soldiers and quickly turned away.

Sophia was not exactly comfortable with affection such as what men gave to women mostly because she had never had a man look at her in that way before. She turned a corner, only to bump into someone. Apologizing to them, she looked up and found Agravaine. Due to the darkness, Sophia was a little taken back at first because of his sudden appearance but she smiled at him after a moment. "Shouldn't you be resting? What if you were called out?" she inquired.

Talking with the knights tonight every now and then she found that they could be called out anytime if they were ordered to. He wasn't looking at her directly. In fact Sophia had noticed that he didn't actually look at her but really a part of her that didn't include her face. Realizing he was watching her hand, Sophia waved it a little, gaining his attention partially. He still wouldn't look up. "Why don't you look at my face?"

He shook his head and turned, telling her that he'd walk her back to the courtyard. Sophia nodded and before Agravaine really had a chance, she had moved forward and slid her hands around his arm. "Why don't you look at my face?" she repeated, pressing the subject now that he could not get away easily.

"I just... Its not comfortable," he answered, almost meekly while attempting to pull his arm free.

"Why?"

He sighed heavily. "Because most women run away from me the moment they see the scar on my face, not looking at them sort of helps on my account from feeling like a beast."

"Well... I haven't run away from you and the only time I was a little taken back by the scar was just then in the dark and when you put your sword to my wrist when I first woke up among the lot of you," she told him. "So- you can look at my face I'm not going to run away."

Sophia caught the smile on his face and grinned as they continued walking. "It is not just that, I've had this scar for nearly ten years and no woman has looked at me or come near me since. So much for them being drawn to scars like Lancelot said, facial ones like mine, they find hideous."

"I don't find it hideous," she told him. He scoffed only she nudged him. "Want to know what I think?" Agravaine glanced at her for a second.

"Do not try and cheer me up about it," he grumbled, finally pulling his arm free of her hands. "I don't like it."

She laughed a little. "You really don't deal with women much do you?" she questioned.

He glanced at her. "On a daily basis in ways like you and I are conversing now, no. Vanora would be the only woman I have spoken to in some time." Sophia stared at him in bewilderment which made him laugh this time. Reaching out to her, he tapped her chin, shutting her mouth. "Do not look so alarmed about it, I prefer it."

"But- why?"

Agravaine sighed heavily. "I just do Sophia."

"How did you get the scar?" she asked.

He looked up at the sky for a moment and grinned a little. "Too many questions you ask of me, Lady."

Sophia blushed and hung her head. "Sorry, I am just curious, this time is very different to my own," she remarked.

"I gathered."

Glancing up, she quirked an eyebrow at him. "You believe me?"

"Like Tristan said to the others earlier; your eyes don't lie and I doubt you would know what you know if you weren't telling the truth," he said with a nod. Sophia smiled saying that at least she some people believed her. "That and I have never seen a woman so quick to nearly break a man's arm like you did to the drunk."

She lifted a shoulder up and glanced over it as she heard someone call out to Agravaine. "Aggy!"

The knight in question growled a little. "Only that he is drunk am I sparring him for that," he muttered as he looked over her head to find Galahad.

Sophia laughed. "I think you secretly like that name, you just need to keep up appearances," she mumbled and saw him smirk as he walked towards Galahad, patting her on the shoulder and leaning down to her ear.

"Let's just keep that between you and me." Sophia grinned and nodded as she turned to follow him.

* * *

Arthur sighed heavily, running his hands through his hair as he looked over the letter on his desk. Glancing up as he heard someone open the door he found Lancelot there. "Tristan said she wasn't lying," he remarked.

The other man just shook his head. "I still think she is."

Lancelot dropped down into the chair opposite his commander before noticing the letter in front of him. "We being called out?" he inquired, tilting his head towards the item.

Arthur looked from him down to the letter and nodded. "It is urgent but we need the rest tonight, we'll be riding out tomorrow."

Nodding, the curly-haired knight stood up. "Where and why?"

"We shall find that out when we get there, a village not far south of the wall and the letter is vague at best as to what the problem is." As Lancelot move to open the door, Arthur spoke. "What do you think of her? Is she telling the truth?"

Lancelot lifted up a shoulder. "Her clothing certainly does not belong and I don't think she is lying Arthur but it is your choice what to believe and do with her. She's helpful though, Vanora has already got her working in the tavern," he told his commander and brother like friend, grinning at him.

Arthur chuckled at the look.


	9. Chapter 9

**Thanks for the reviews lovelies. **

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**Chapter IV**

When morning came, Sophia was woken up by Gawain and a somewhat hungover Galahad. They led her to the kitchen where most of them were already eating. Galahad groaned as Bors yelled across the room at Vanora who just told him to sit down and be quiet. Two long tables were occupied by both the knights and what was clearly Bors and Vanora's children. All together they were quite noisy and Sophia found the only spot available was beside two of the more older girls. By the look of them they were twins, both had thick blond hair and rose coloured cheeks. Looking at the red headed woman, Sophia gathered that the blond hair came from Bors who was busy playing with a small dark haired boy.

She was surprised with how much the men ate and wondered how Vanora managed to cook it all for them. While eating, she overheard Lancelot saying that they had been called out and had to leave before noon.

Once the knights had left to obviously get ready, Sophia managed to locate Arthur's room and knocked on the door. "What is it?" She opened the door and stuck her head in. "Sophia? Can I help you?"

"I overheard Lancelot saying you had been called out. I was just-"

"You are not coming with us," he interrupted her.

Sophia frowned and stepped in, shutting the door. "Why not? I am capable enough of fighting."

"I do not need to be worrying about whether you are safe or not, especially when you try and inject yourself into every situation," he told her as he fixed his armour on.

She glared at him and folded her arms across her chest. "I do not inject myself into every situation but it is my job to help those who need it no matter where I am," she stated bluntly.

Arthur still shook his head as he passed by her and opened the door. She followed him out into the hallway. "My mind is made up, Sophia. End of discussion." Sophia smirked, knowing exactly what she was going to say back to him. Words were most definitely a strong point for Sophia when it came to needing them.

"Well I'm not staying and there is really nothing you can say against me leaving on my own, if I just happen to be heading in the same direction as you well that is just a mere coincidence," she told him, stepping into the stables before him and turning to face him, causing Arthur to stop and look down at the dark-haired spit fire who reminded him more of a fiery colt than anything else. They didn't say a word to one another until Arthur finally sighed heavily, relenting.

"Ask Jols to find you a horse," he mumbled watching her smile and turn, heading for where Jols stood talking with Lancelot. Arthur did find it amusing to watch Sophia just step right in between the two men and cut Lancelot off who didn't look all to happy that she had done so.

"Jols, Arthur ask if you could find me a horse," she said to the man who grinned and nodded at her, moving to a stall.

"Why do you need a horse?" Lancelot inquired. Sophia turned round to face him and said she was coming with them. "Arthur would never agree to let you come with us."

She grimaced at the man in annoyance. "Well- he just did," she remarked and he pulled a face at her.

Lancelot looked over at Arthur as Sophia moved to where Jols was saddling a white gelding. "Do I even want to know?" he asked his friend. Arthur merely shook his head.

* * *

Sophia found that riding to the knights meant hard and fast. Knowing she probably was not on Arthur's good side at the moment she refrained from voicing her pain at having to ride the horse for so long without getting off every so often. It wasn't easy, in fact it was downright hard to keep up with them. Sophia noted that none of them actually sounded lively at all as they rode out. Anyone who actually wanted a life such as what they had would be deemed crazy to Sophia.

When they finally did rest, Sophia slid from the saddle and had to hold onto it for a moment while she tried to loosen her legs. "You really do not ride much?" Glancing up over the back of the horse at Agravaine she shook her head.

"I haven't since I was about twelve," she told him as he tilted his head to the side and she looked down as she jumped a few times, smiling as her leg muscles finally relaxed.

"Well we won't be resting long so try and stay on your feet," he stated.

"Much easier said than done," she retorted and heard him chuckle.

Sophia watched him follow Tristan out of the clearing that they had found and stopped in before glancing at the others. Gawain and Galahad were sitting on the ground beside one another and looked to be still suffering some of the affects of their drinking from last night. Bors, Dagonet and Arthur were all talking and it was then that she felt the person come up behind her.

"Not use to riding?" Lancelot asked her. She turned and nodded. He smirked. "Maybe you just need some practice."

Sophia watched him walk off, somewhat confused before she realized what he meant and gasped, spinning round to glower at the now laughing knight. Walking over to him, she slapped him across the back of his head. "Learn some manners," she snapped.

From the smirks and snickers from Galahad and Gawain, they found it highly entertaining to watch her go off at him. He turned and pushed her backwards. "Grow a sense of humor," he shot back.

Sophia outraged that he had actually pushed her, shoved him back, knocking him to the ground. "Well I find the sight of you on your back more than amusing so my humor is in good standings," she quipped which made him stop from trying to get up. "Every time you make a reference to me and your bed, I'll do more than hit you across the head, which by the way, you have been in need of for quite some time now."

Silence followed her words before the rest of the group started to laugh, even Arthur did. He felt sorry for his friend but he did have to admit that Sophia made a valid point.

* * *

When Tristan and Agravaine returned, Sophia noticed the blood that was on both of the knights clothing. Swallowing the thick lump that suddenly formed in her throat she climbed into the saddle and followed Gawain as they left the clearing.

It took nearly the entire day to get to the village that had sent the letter to Arthur who had explained it all to the knights during their second rest even reading out the very short letter to them. The villagers seemed relieved to see the knights when they entered the village near nightfall. A man greeted Arthur as people took the horses. Sophia stuck in close to Galahad and Gawain as she tried to hear what Arthur and the man were talking about.

After a few moments, Arthur shook hands with the man and turned to the knights and Sophia who were all just watching him patiently waiting for him to speak. "No drink, no rest, we are on full alert tonight," he told them.

"What are we on alert for?" Sophia asked before anyone else had the chance to. Agravaine grinned from where he stood leaning against the wall of the tavern and inn. She was quick to the draw.

Arthur looked at her and then to the villager beside him. "A wolf."

Sophia just gave him a funny look, actually all of them did. The villager spoke up suddenly. "Not a wolf actually. It merely looks like a wolf but it is five times its size and walks on its hind legs."

Her eyes widened in shock.

They were here and she had walked straight into a village that could be massacred if everyone wasn't careful. "How many people have gone missing?" she inquired.

"The letter made no mention of people going missing Sophia, I only just learned of that fact, how did you know of it?" Arthur questioned her, frowning. Most of the attention fell on her and Sophia looked at the ground and then up at the night sky, fighting back crying.

"The things that are taking people, attacking them... are my brother and sister," she said. Or at least she thought that from the way they were describing the things. "I think."

She hoped to God that there was not more of them. Two were trouble enough.

"Your siblings? But these things are large wolves and you are human," Arthur pointed out.

Sophia rolled her eyes and moved away from behind Galahad and Gawain and towards the villager beside Arthur. "Is one of them covered in black fur?" He shook his head and Sophia frowned. Zach was a black werewolf and Anna had very dark gray fur. "What about dark gray?" Again he shook his head and Sophia chewed on her thumbnail for a moment in thought.

"They are very light in color. A farmer saw three of them running across his field only three nights ago," he remarked and she snapped her gaze up to his.

"Three? There are three of them?" she inquired, resisting the urge to shudder and run. She'd done enough running. He nodded.

"Would you mind explaining how it is you know what is going on here?" Arthur asked of her, grabbing her arm suddenly and making her look at him just as a loud howl broke through the air.

Panic seized most of the village who all ran into their homes or for the tavern. Sophia just asked Arthur to trust her and that she'd answer questions later. Agravaine asked what they were going to do. "We need to hide," she said before Arthur could. The man lead them into the tavern and Sophia noticed the windows had been boarded up during the panic.

People were huddled in corners and behind the bar as the knights all watched Sophia peer out through a small gap in the boards up on the windows. "Put out the lights," she said quietly. Arthur came up behind her as the knights all found ways to see out into the street. "You know those creatures that you only think exist in your worst nightmares?" He nodded as he placed a hand on her shoulder. "That's what they are. Werewolves. How three of them are here is beyond my knowledge though."

"Werewolves?" the village leader inquired. Sophia looked round at him and saw his eyes wide in terror. She slowly nodded. "Have you killed these things before?"

Sophia regrettably could not lie to him about something like this. "No, when I had my opportunity I ran, there are some things that a little sister can not do as easily as a stranger can," she told him and Arthur raised an eyebrow at her. Another howl ripped through the air and the people all started to make a noise until the knights all quietened them done.

Looking back out through the gap, Sophia resisted the urge to run from the window when she saw the large silver beast stop out in the street and look round. She knew that the sight of the thing had even the knights terrified. What it did next though would definitely have made things ten times worse. It shifted, shedding its fur and dropping to the ground. A half naked man hunched over on his knees was left there. A woman from one of the homes rushed out suddenly and Sophia gathered she had a tie to the man as she tried to pull him to his feet. Before anyone had the chance to stop it from happening the man had pounced like a tiger waiting for the opportune moment and shifted as he did, his large and sharp teeth sinking into the woman's neck drawing a blood curdling scream from the woman.

Despite knowing it was a stupid idea, Sophia moved quicker than even Arthur anticipated and ripped open the door of the tavern.

No one at first moved, not realizing what was going on.

Agravaine suddenly chased after her as Tristan ran up the stairs two at time, but as he got into the street he was knocked down before he could grab her.

He leaned his head back, spying the second large beast and quickly got to his feet, drawing his sword as it crouched down low and snarled at him. Agravaine smirked at the beast and slowly leaned down to pull a dagger from his boot. It seemed to take the chance and lunged for him.

He dropped to the ground and sliced upwards, getting the thing across the stomach. An arrow pierced its right back leg and Agravaine was grateful for Tristan's aim even in the dark. The others weren't going to come out here, the tavern door had been shut behind him, no doubt by Arthur who was protecting the people inside it more than he was cowering.

Sophia cried out suddenly and Agravaine's attention diverted to her. She was on her stomach with the first beast pinning her to the ground. The woman who had been attacked was laying not too far from where they were and unmoving.

Getting to his knees, Agravaine threw the dagger he had hold of and managed to get the first creature in the neck. He was left stunned as the large beast suddenly dropped away again and changed into a man. Sophia managed to fight her way free of him but Agravaine hadn't noticed the second wolf recover from Tristan's arrows and was suddenly shoved to the ground, claws digging into his skin as it rolled and threw him at least ten feet away. Groaning as he hit the earth hard, Agravaine felt hands on him and found Galahad pulling him to his feet, or attempting to.

They heard a cry of pain and found Sophia had broken the man's arm when trying to pin it behind his back, restraining him.

Looking at the second one, Agravaine made to charge it only Galahad held him back and it turned and ran off.

"Help!" Sophia called out, trying to keep the man on the ground which seemed to be difficult considering the size difference between herself and him.

They got to her and Galahad managed to take over as Agravaine retrieved his dagger from the man's neck none to carefully either. He was still alive which confused Agravaine as he watched the wound nearly close up as if healed up magic. Sophia ran for the tavern as Arthur opened the doors and she disappeared inside. Returning and with the occupants following her, Sophia shackled the man's hands behind his back.

Seeing the village leader raising a sword, ready to kill the man Sophia quickly pushed him away. "You are defending this- this- thing?"

"No but we need him alive or as close to alive as I can keep him," she retorted.

Arthur told Dagonet and Bors to take him and lock him in the jail. Sophia watched them go and noticed the large number of faces now directed at her. Agravaine stood beside her and she looked up at him before noticing how he was holding his side. Arthur noticed this too and asked for rooms and quickly.

She knew she had a lot of explaining to do.


	10. Chapter 10

**My lovelies! Where are you all? Haha, I am curious as to what you all think of it so far. Any comments and such are greatly welcome.  
**

_Enjoy watching a trailer for this story on my new YouTube channel: FanfictionUnlimited._

_NOTE: I have accidentally stuffed up and named Clara "Anna" in a few places of the story. I will go back and fix them but her name is Clara.  
_

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**Chapter X**

Sophia had been pushed into a chair and made to stay put as Dagonet helped Agravaine pull his jerkin, maille and shirt off to reveal three large gashes in his side. The beast's claws had cut through his maille and Sophia felt guilty that he had been injured trying to help her. Arthur looked like he was ready to throw her out the door and at the moment, Sophia really couldn't blame him but she had, had her reasons for what she had done.

Agravaine was sitting down on the chair beside her, shirtless and groaning as Dagonet cleaned up his side. "I am-"

"You do not say a word, unless I say so," Arthur told her angrily.

"It isn't her fault Arthur, she was just trying to help," Agravaine remarked and Arthur just shook his head. "You know I'm right. If she hadn't have done it, then we wouldn't have caught one of them."

Sophia just looked down at her lap. "You can't kill them easily, you need silver."

"What on earth do you do for a living?" Lancelot inquired of her.

She grimaced. "I- My family are guardians of sorts to the human race, we're Gypsies. We fight the things that are unnatural to this world. But- every family has its dark sides, mine just happens to haunt my footsteps. My great grandfather's first son was cursed, I don't know why it happened but whatever he did seemed to be so much smaller than what they turned him into. Immortal with a thirst for human blood. A vampire. I was ten when my father killed him and himself along with it," she paused for a moment and saw most of them had this look of absolute stun on their faces.

"My older brother, sister and myself trained to follow on in our father's footsteps. Zachariah and Clara, when I was fourteen were hunting the dogs that served the thing my father had killed. They weren't dogs though, they were werewolves and... they were turned."

Agravaine hissed and cursed as Dagonet put something on his injuries, stopping Sophia who looked at him. He just nodded to her. "I'm fine. He is normally very gentle."

She smiled a little at him and Dagonet just chuckled. "I am trying to be."

"Keep going," Arthur pressed, now sitting in a chair opposite her.

"Six years its been since they were turned and I have tried time and time again to kill them, but I couldn't," she started and then looked down. "Its my fault this has happened. I was finally going to kill them. The villagers of my home were helping me and I had nearly killed Clara when she was a werewolf only- she got free of the cage we had caught her in. I ran, trying to save the villagers by having her chase me... Next thing I know, I had fallen over and hit my head just avoiding Clara grabbing hold of me and then I woke up here."

Silence hung over the group and Sophia sighed heavily, looking at Arthur. "Now, do I have your trust?"

He glanced around at his men. "And the things you and Agravaine-"

"Were not Clara and Zach. Zach is much larger than them and black. Clara is small and dark gray. Those were silver like, I think they are turning people," she said. "But they would've been able to tell I was here and come themselves. That is why I kept him alive- I want to talk to him."

Arthur shook his head. "Out of the question."

She chuckled. "Arthur, this is not something you can handle as you don't know what you're dealing with. You saw what they can do," she told him.

Lancelot smirked from nearby, telling Arthur she was right even if he didn't want to admit that.

"Arthur?" Bors asked.

"Bors, myself and Tristan will go with you," he remarked and Sophia nodded her head, standing up.

"We need to do it now."

* * *

Arthur stepped into the jail before Sophia and saw the guard standing in the far corner, his eyes on the man who was pacing back and forth in the cell, holding his arm. He stopped and sniffed the air, turning when Sophia stepped in close to the bars. His deep chuckle made her shudder.

"Oh little thing, your brother said how nice you would smell, didn't think he was telling the truth," he told her.

Sophia frowned at him. "Where is Zach? Is Clara with him? Did they turn you?"

"Tsk, tsk, tsk Sophia, you ask so many questions, I don't know what to answer first," he said sarcastically. Arthur stepped forward, thinking ordering him to answer would work. The man grinned back in return wolfishly and Sophia looked down. "They aren't here if that is what you're wondering."

Sophia glanced at him and then to Arthur. "Then where are they?" he inquired.

"I wouldn't know to be honest, they moved after they turned us. We were just told to look out for Sophia. I must say that Clara and you are very similar in appearance. Guess you are much smarter than they anticipated... Myself and my men were told to catch you and take you across to Gaul," the man remarked.

"Arthur?" Bors

Arthur shook his head. "Well you will not be taking her anywhere, you'll be executed at dawn for murder. Come Sophia."

She did as told and followed Arthur out of the jail.

* * *

When they returned, Lancelot noticed the way Arthur did not seem as angry with Sophia. Agravaine was still being cleaned up but had been given a bottle of rum and was downing it as Dagonet cleaned up the third gash.

"So?" Lancelot inquired.

"He is being executed at dawn for murder," Arthur told them all. "And we are going to find the other two and bring them in."

Sophia even seemed surprised to hear him say that. "You don't have to," she whispered.

"Lass, we aren't going to leave them out there when they are so dangerous. That and we would like it better if we know you are not going to be hunted down like some wild animal," Bors replied, patting her on the shoulder as he passed by her.

"Mind filling the rest of us in," Galahad piped up from where he was sitting nearby with Lancelot and Gawain.

"Sophia's brother and sister are in fact werewolves and have turned others in order to hunt her down. Where they are we currently do not know but it seems they do want Sophia dead," Arthur explained.

The knights all looked at the small woman who was looking at the ground. Agravaine stood up, despite Dagonet's protest. "We are going to need her to help track and bait them," Tristan stated.

Sophia nodded at him. "I can do it."

"We need to head out now," Arthur ordered.

Agravaine made to pull his shirt back on and Arthur told him that he was not going to be doing this mission. "But-"

"You're injured," Sophia said suddenly. "Please rest."

After a minute or so he looked at the ground. "You need me."

"Tristan is just as capable on his own as he is with you at his side, stay here," Arthur told him, with a clear air of order. Agravaine collapsed back into the chair and looked at Dagonet who took the bottle of rum from the knights hand.

"I think you've drunk enough. I need it anyway," he said seeing the look on Agravaine's face at losing the drink. He rarely drank much but he needed it. The gashes were long and wide but shallow enough that the bleeding had stopped rather quickly however they were quite painful.

Sophia and the others headed out leaving Dagonet with Agravaine who just slumped in his chair. "Are you more upset that you aren't able to go out and kill something or is it something or someone else?" Dagonet inquired.

Agravaine lifted his gaze to his for a moment. "I have no idea what you mean," he muttered back. "I just think that we need to be out there with them."

Dagonet hit him across the back of the head. "Blind I am not Agravaine to the situation and you had better not try and cover it up just because you feel it will make you appear weak." Agravaine frowned at him in return. "She is quite striking but we all know she will not be staying here once everything is taken care of."

"Stop speaking in riddles Dagonet," Agravaine snapped, glowering at the giant healer.

"You like her. You like her because she is the opposite of what you are; she does not return Lance's advances and you seem to be the one she is able to get along with," Dagonet stated in a matter of fact tone.

The other knight did not say anything for a moment. "I do not like her in that way, Dagonet. She is nice to have round-"

"Because she does not run away or find you hideous or terrifying?" Agravaine scoffed and Dagonet sighed heavily as he sat down beside his friend having finished cleaning him up. "You also were the first one to react when she ran outside tonight."

"You lot are just getting old," Agravaine joked back making Dagonet grin hearing the slight slur behind his friends words.

"And you need to go to bed." Despite that he protested, he allowed Dagonet to help him out and get up the stairs. Locating one of the rooms they'd been given, Agravaine fell down onto the bed and shut his eyes as Dagonet managed to pull his boots off before leaving him to sleep.

* * *

While she trusted the knights, she was somewhat wary of being used as bait when she knew how easily these traps could turn into disaster on the people laying it. Resigning to just standing there and listening to what they were saying, Sophia was somewhat startled when someone snapped their fingers in front of her face to gain her attention.

"You alright?" Galahad asked. Sophia nodded and asked them how they were going to do this.

"Use you to lure them into a place where they can not easily get away from us," Arthur told her.

"So what do I have to do?"

Lancelot grinned over at her, looking her up and down. "Try and look alluring, tempting, like you want them to follow you and have-"

She put her hands up, cutting him off, "I get it."

The curly haired knight chuckled at her and shook his head saying this was not going to work unless she did exactly as she had to. Sophia pulled a face at him and suddenly peeled her jacket and coat down her arms, throwing them over Lancelot's head as she ruffled up her hair a little, undid the front of her floral patterned top - despite that it was somewhat uncomfortable - and strutted past the group of men, turning to look at them as she got a few steps away from them.

"This qualify as alluring to you lot?" she asked of them.

Lancelot had uncovered his head and was staring at her. She took his look alone as a yes before turning and heading off. "You had better hurry up if you want to catch them before they get hold of me," she called out, putting a little swing in her hips.

As she disappeared, Lancelot pointed after her. "Can I have her?" Lancelot inquired weakly, looking at Arthur who just shook his head, rubbing his temples.

Galahad just snickered as Gawain nudged him. "Least we know she can attract Lancelot easily even if he can't attract her," he mused, laughing out loud only to be told to shut his mouth by a sour Lancelot.


	11. Chapter 11

**Well I am glad you are all enjoying this. Here's hoping you enjoy this chapter. **

_Check out videos for this story on my new YouTube channel: FanfictionUnlimited. There are a few more in works for this one too. What do you want to see in a video? Let me know._

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**Chapter XI**

Sophia sighed heavily as she stepped under the large branch. Remembering back to the day she ended up here, her heart pounded in her chest as she ducked under a branch and over a patch of leaves, trying to make as little sound as she could. Looking off to her left, she could see Galahad off through the trees and was somewhat relieved to know that they were now here to help her and not just villagers eager to do something more than just live a quiet life.

Now she had trained knights, men who were willing to help her despite that she had not exactly been all too nice to their leader especially, and somehow she was still a little wary of this plan actually working for her a second time round.

Closing her eyes for a moment, Sophia breathed in deeply, smelling the cool night air and trying to determine whether to keep going straight or turn around. She opened her eyes and gasped, moving back quickly seeing the man in front of her. He smirked at her and she looked down when he took a step toward her, noticing that he was limping. His calf was bleeding heavily.

He was the one who Tristan had shot earlier. "You look so much like you're big sister," he told her, smirking. Sophia scowled at him. "She was fun to play with and what she made me well... the greatest gift I've ever gotten." The man leered at her and Sophia noticed that he had a strange tattoo on his left arm.

"It won't be so great when I cut off your head," she snapped back defiantly, taking a few steps back away from him as he made to advance on her.

A deep laugh came from him and Sophia wondered where the knights had gotten to. They had been meant to be trailing her and she'd seen Galahad at her left not to long ago. She glanced round. It was dark, too dark to see anything anymore and the tree canopy blocked out the moon which had been her original source of light. "You look like you wanna play more than you want to kill me," he mused.

Sophia quickly did her shirt up realizing what he meant. As she walked backwards, she ended up falling over a log and groaned as she looked up at the man. He made to come down over the top of her only to lean back suddenly, just missing the sword that sliced the air between them. Her heart raced in her chest and she was frozen in fear when he growled and transformed. She had seen them before but only from a distance, but now that he was up close and right in front of her, she found herself terrified of its appearance. It was truly built like a giant wolf but it stood on its back legs and was more wide across the chest and its head was wolf like with the whole set of razor sharp teeth, hunter eyes and pointed ears. His fur was a very light shade of gray and appeared to be almost silver.

It lunged for whoever was behind her but Sophia closed her eyes as he jumped, curling up a little to protect herself, not knowing whether he would end up attacking her instead. She heard a yelp of pain clearly from the werewolf and then a grunt and thud.

Opening her eyes as she rolled over, Sophia got onto her hands and knees.

Her eyes widened as she looked at her savior. Lancelot stood over a now dead man, clearly a little more than shocked as he stared down at the body. Whenever heavily wounded or killed, they seemed unable to hold their unnatural state and became human again. It had happened earlier and this now confirmed Sophia's query.

He turned and held his hand out to her. She took it, letting him help her up. "Thank you," she whispered as he pulled her up and a little closer than she expected him to. He looked down at her and nodded. "I thought for a moment everyone had gotten lost from me."

She looked down at the body as Lancelot sheathed his second sword, he hadn't let go of her hand as he shook his head at her. "I was behind you the whole time, I just had to wait until you would not end up in the middle of it and in any more danger than you already were," he said quietly, smiling at her despite the situation. He watched her pull her hands free and frowned a little. "What?"

Sophia pulled the sword free from the man's chest, visibly looking somewhat sick as she raised the sword up. She had to make sure there was no chance that it would rise; she was a protector and in all her years of training a real kill had never been at her hands, Zach and Clara had killed and she had helped hunt that was all, now she was trembling at little, tightening her fingers round the hilt of the sword. She looked over at Lancelot who was watching her. "Like any creature, cut off the head, right?"

Just as she brought the sword down, a hand grabbed her wrist. Lancelot slowly took the sword from her and pushed her back so his body blocked the sight of the body. "You were terrified. You still are."

Sophia fought back tears as she shook her head. "I didn't ask to be born into my family but I was and they are my problem, my own and I can't even stop the very things that they created. What good am I?" she demanded, looking up at him.

Lancelot gave her a half reassuring smile. "Well I think you're good. You ran out to help a woman when you knew that those things were dangerous, you risked your neck protecting and returning Woad children even when most others, including myself and Arthur, would've seen it better to just leave them, you also can challenge anyone to an argument and win it nine times out of ten," he remarked and Sophia just lifted up one shoulder. "And... so what if you have never killed before, that is not what counts, you have help, you have people like me, Tristan and Agravaine who will spill blood with not much thought to it."

"It makes me feel like I'm just a child again," she whispered, looking at the ground.

He lifted his hand up and for a moment made to reach out to her and pull her in close but he hesitated.

"There you-" Galahad trailed off when he finally broke into their line of sight and stopped upon seeing the dead man at Lancelot's feet and a clearly upset Sophia. "Is he dead?"

"As dead as can be having my sword run through his chest," Lancelot replied. He glanced from the younger knight to Sophia and back again. "Galahad, take Sophia ahead, I'll move north east and we'll meet up ahead."

Galahad nodded, moving forward to take hold of Sophia and lead her away.

Once they were out of sight, Lancelot turned to look at the motionless body on the ground and nudged it with his boot. Even though it didn't move, Lancelot decided that Sophia had the right line of thinking about removing the head and he looked up at the tree canopy for a moment, wishing he could see the stars and black blanket of the night sky, his hand tightening around the hilt before he let out a deep breath that he'd been holding. Without a seconds hesitation, Lancelot raised the sword and brought it down hard, listening to the sword of steel cutting through the flesh and feeling somewhat relieved in the knowledge that he'd done that.

* * *

It was hard for Sophia to calm herself down as she let Galahad lead her through the forest. She knew there was still one more of them out there and she knew that it had probably already seen what had come of its companion. Something however confused Sophia about the creatures. They acted as though they had been turned for weeks and not a few days and that was another thing, if they had only been turned a few days ago, even with their unnatural speed Zachariah and Clara would not be that far away.

"Galahad do you think I could have been out longer than a few hours?" she inquired suddenly.

"How much longer are you thinking?" he answered. Sophia just said maybe a week, two or three tops or maybe time moved differently and yet at the same time in the two spaces. "Maybe, I mean your brother and sister have turned three men, left them here to wait and find you. They could be anywhere."

She frowned. "Optimism Galahad is something that I would gladly take from you at the moment," she replied, grinning at him when he apologized to her.

After a moment or so, they broke into a clearing where Arthur and Gawain were. "Found either of them yet?" Arthur inquired.

Sophia and Galahad nodded. "One of them Lancelot killed him and then headed north east of us," Galahad answered.

Lancelot appeared with Bors and Tristan at his side. "We managed to chase one the other but it got away when Bors fell over," Tristan grunted out, making Sophia snort as she tried to stop her laughter.

Bors glowered as Galahad chuckled. "See, all that ale that is making your belly large is making your job hard," Lancelot quipped, ducking away from Bors who took a swing at him. Laughing as the man grabbed him and tried to hit him, wrapping an arm around his neck and attempting to choke his as Arthur just watched them in amusement.

"Even in the darkest of situations they manage to make jokes, tease or entertain each other," he stated to Sophia as he stepped up alongside her when Galahad moved to aid Lancelot in getting Bors off him.

* * *

When they returned to the village, despite only having found one of the werewolves, they found that Dagonet and Agravaine had retired for the night and were told that rooms were also prepared for them, however some would have to share. Bors said he'd go and find Dagonet's room, Lancelot and Arthur did not mind sleeping within the same quarters, Tristan took one of the single rooms, Galahad and Gawain took the last double room and Sophia found the last single room on the right at the far end of the hall was hers.

Sitting down on the bed, Sophia looked around for a moment and sighed heavily, easing herself down onto the covers once she had removed some of her clothing. Sleep did not come easily and when it did, all Sophia could dream of was the past night and few days of events which woke her up constantly and in the end, close to dawn the next morning, Sophia was sitting up in bed, her knees drawn up as she sat there and tried to think of ways in which to clear her mind of things for a few moments.

A knock on the door startled her and she said they could come in. Agravaine stuck his head round the door and Sophia smiled weakly at the knight who nodded his head at her. "Couldn't sleep either?" he inquired.

"How did you know I was awake?"

"You've been talking to invisible people for the past few minutes and these walls are thin," he replied as he shut the door and walked over to the chair in the room near the small fire and table. He eased himself down onto it and Sophia blushed a little.

"I woke you up? I am sorry-"

He cut her off. "You did not wake me, I've been up for some time and I thought it was better to check on you and make sure there was no one else in here." That sounded much odder coming out of his mouth than it actually had done in his head. "By that I meant trouble."

"By that you meant Lancelot," she retorted and Agravaine grinned a little at her in reply. "Don't worry. If he came in to my room, it would not be by my invitation but him being nosy and rude. I'd knocked him flat on his ass out the door in two seconds flat."

"Never met a woman who didn't at least return his advances," he mused. "You must have a lot of men on their knees crawling after you back in your time."

Sophia scoffed and stood up, moving over to the window which was shut. She opened it a tiny bit and looked out at the dark and now haunting forest that was her view. "I don't return his advances because I'm not interested, plain and simple. As for having a lot of men on their knees, I never have attracted men to me in that way actually; its hard when you're the last daughter of a Gypsy king whose family has a history of killing off the villagers they originally protected."

Agravaine folded his arms across his chest as he watched her from the opposite side of the bed and room. He wanted to say that she would have men lining up around corners for her attention with how striking she was but it was not within him to voice such things, he didn't dwell in feelings and emotions like that. He only thought about freedom and surviving the months up until then- or really, he had only thought that.

Now Agravaine was thinking more of the woman standing in the room with him than he was about his freedom which confused him. In all the years since he had been scarred across the face, Agravaine had never even looked at a woman or let them look at him. That first night when she had woken up and looked directly at him when he had put his sword to her, Agravaine had actually felt vulnerable and afraid of what she thought of his appearance, which had never been a case for him before that moment. "Men desire to own what they deem to be a prize worthy of them Sophia, it has been that way for hundreds of years; it is why Paris wanted Helen, why Caesar and Mark Anthony loved Cleopatra-"

"And in all of those circumstances, people not only died but kingdoms and countries fell," she replied, turning to look at him.

He nodded. "You're right, but it is in a man's nature, they can't help it and only few are strong enough to fight the feeling. I am sure more than one man in your time would have looked at you and felt that way," he stated.

She lifted up a shoulder as she wrapped her arms around herself once she shut the window. "Well if they did, I never noticed them. I didn't really like many of them in that respect, they smelled really bad half the time and thought that hunting was the best thing in the world," she remarked softly, looking at the ground. "Tonight I felt like I was one of them, at first it was all going well and good but when one was finally right there in front of me, I froze- I was afraid of him. I shouldn't be afraid of what I am meant to be hunting and protecting people from. It isn't right."

Agravaine stood up and moved over to the window, opening one panel up, looking out at it. "Under the circumstances I'll admit that I was terrified when I first laid my eyes on the beasts but then I remembered that I had to kill it. That if I didn't then people would end up hurt." He glanced up at Sophia's face and noticed her watching him intently and made to look away, only a hand came to his cheek.

"How are your injuries from the fight?"

"Somewhat sore but fine never the less, pain is not something I feel with just mere scratches by a kittens claws," he remarked, smiling as the corner of her mouth turned upwards for a moment, well for as long as he dared look at her lips.

As the room fell silent, he kept his eyes off her face, nervous as her thumb traced the bottom of his scar. It made him want her to do it again but she pulled her hand away just as he made to lean into the touch. "How did you end up being scarred like you are?" she asked.

Despite he did not wish to say it, he did. Something about Sophia compelled him to and the true story, not some lie that his mind had worked up on the spot. "Nearly ten years ago saving a Woad infant from the Roman soldiers I was meant to be fighting alongside of. Our orders, both theirs and the ones Arthur had received, were to kill any and all of the Woads within the village during the attack. A Roman soldier, younger than you even had killed the little girl's mother and I found her hiding under furs in one of the huts. I tried to save her but the Roman soldiers just followed their orders, even attacking me when I tried to stop them for taking her away from me. She still ended up dead and I was nearly blinded."

Sophia gasped softly. "Is that why you helped me return the children?"

He mutely nodded and Sophia did something that Agravaine was, yet again, not expecting and hugged him round his middle. "Thank you for helping me," she whispered as she pulled away after a few moments.

While he had not returned the hug, he doubted Sophia wanted him to and so all he did was bow his head slowly to her. Agravaine glanced out the window as he felt the first touches of sun wash over his skin when the sun began to rise from behind the mountains and trees.

The door opened and both Agravaine and Sophia looked over to find Dagonet there, telling them the others were awake and already downstairs. Agravaine was thankful of one thing as he headed downstairs to leave Sophia to dress and that was that Dagonet had not stumbled upon Sophia hugging him.

His heart was racing as he remembered feeling her hugging him and smiled at how he enjoyed being hugged specifically by her when normally he disliked such gestures.


	12. Chapter 12

**Well I am glad you are all enjoying this. Here's hoping you enjoy this chapter.**

_Check out videos for this story on my new YouTube channel: FanfictionUnlimited. _

_Psycho-nursing-student wants a video with lots and lots of Agravaine and so its on the editing board... he is popular considering he is not a canon knight of the film... Yay! Haha._

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**Chapter XII**

Sophia found that Dagonet, Bors and Arthur had been up much longer than she had originally guessed and she only knew that for when she came down the stairs she could hear Lancelot retelling Arthur about last night and caught ear that Arthur and the two large knights had already dealt with the prisoners execution, not wasting time or chance. In her heart she knew the other one was still out there in the forest and did not wish to leave until it was also beheaded. The safety of this village depended on ridding the forest of the things. Arthur knew this as well and despite the rough start they had gotten off on she could see that there was something within him that would prevent him from leaving.

When she came down and into the main room of the small inn and tavern, Sophia was greeted by the knights and Arthur said they were going to go and look for the remaining werewolf as soon as she was ready. "You're not leaving me here to do it on my own?" she inquired, actually surprised that he was helping her despite she thought they might stay and aid her.

He nodded. "You were right and I cannot leave you on your own for you cause too much trouble even whilst barely lifting a finger," he remarked making her smile at him as she placed her hands on her hips.

"At least you know I can always argue my way out of things but... thank you," she told him. He grinned at her as he watched her walk past him and distract Lancelot entirely from the subject of which he was discussing with Gawain and Agravaine.

"Arthur I really am not liking the idea of a skirt being with us this time," he said which made Sophia stop as she made to sit down next to Galahad at the table. Arthur noticed Sophia clench her fists and how her shoulders tensed up.

"Then why are you still here?" she asked heatedly, glancing over at him. He frowned, having not expected her to answer him. "You don't have to worry yourself as soon as we get back to the fort, I'll be out of your hair."

"What do you mean?" Gawain inquired, raising an eyebrow as he looked over at the fiery little woman.

She shook her head. "She means she'll be leaving soon," Tristan piped up from a nearby corner. Sophia really wished he wasn't as observant as what he was. It would make things much easier on her. "That's why she was happy to help Vanora in the tavern. Enough money and she can travel. Find her brother and sister."

"Do you by any chance have the ability to read people's minds Tristan?" she queried which made him smirk. Arthur looked from one of his scouts to the small woman and then to Lancelot, giving him a hard look. "Well, you just said exactly what I was thinking."

Galahad didn't look to happy that she was not going to be staying and for that matter Arthur also caught Agravaine smacking Lancelot across the back of the head, which amused him beyond words. "But... but..."

"She's made up her mind," Agravaine said, interrupting Galahad. "If she wishes to move on, she is free to do so, even though the pup will clearly miss her." A scowl from the youngest of the knights made Agravaine grin slightly as Sophia smiled and wrapped her arms around Galahad's neck from behind when he had turned to the trio of knights standing near the fireplace.

He went red when she kissed his cheek, making a few of the knights laugh. "Don't worry pup, I'm not going anywhere just yet," she reassured while hugging him round the neck.

* * *

When they headed back out again, Sophia found Agravaine was coming with them even though he had been injured last night. She was somewhat wary of whether or not he would be able to help them properly but he actually didn't seem at all impaired by the wounds inflicted on him. If he was in any pain at all, he was hiding it very well to Sophia. Finding her horse already saddled she smiled as it nudged her affectionately and rubbed his head against her.

"Oh yes, she is certainly Sarmatian," Dagonet mused, grinning at her as she raised an eyebrow at him and turned to find most of the knights watching her, already on their horses. She swung up into the saddle as Galahad held the reins for her.

"Did I miss something?" she asked.

Tristan rode past. "Sarmatians have a natural bond to horses."

She looked down at her mount and leaned forward, hugging him round the neck suddenly, making a few of them laugh. "Well then it is a good thing I have Sarmatian in me somewhere along my ancestry," she remarked while straightening up.

"Ready?" Arthur inquired as he rode up beside her.

She nodded and kicked her horse's sides, immediately gaining the lead over the others and feeling for a few moments at peace as she allowed her mount to take her to the forest, glancing over her shoulder only once to see the knights close behind her.

* * *

Arthur separated them into two groups; Sophia, Lancelot, Galahad and Gawain were with him while Agravaine, Dagonet and Bors were with Tristan.

She was tracking for their group but only because she knew what to look for. They had been there for quite some time when a rustle in the dense bushes and shrubbery ahead of the group startled them all into reaching for their weapons. Gawain had actually found her sword when they had first discovered her in the slave cart and had returned it to her when they had tied their horses up before coming into the forest. She was glad that it had not been lost for she truly did love the feel of it in her grip even though it had yet to be baptized in blood.

When the rustling settled down, Sophia moved forward even though Arthur tried to stop her and crouched down, pushing some of the shrub away and smiling softly. "Its only a fox cub," she said, reaching in and picking it up gently seeing it was injured. "I think it got caught in a hunter's trap."

She stood up and turned to look at the knights as she held the tiny creature in her arms and gently looked at its front right paw where it had been wounded. "Its a wild animal, Sophia, put it down," Lancelot ordered.

Frowning, she shook her head at him and saw him glower. "No. It needs help," she defended.

"Nature will help it, it is what it is there for."

Opening her long coat up, she smiled when the tiny cub managed to fit in the pocket. Doing her coat back up, she noticed Galahad smiling at her and Gawain's clearly amused expression. "Looks like she is gonna be bringing it back home," Gawain said and patted her on the shoulder as he passed her.

"If it was a wolf cub or bear cub; I would do the same thing," she stated clearly in Lancelot's direction who just scoffed, following Galahad and Arthur. She could feel the tiny thing curling up in the large pocket and smiled down at where it was hidden.

* * *

"So Agravaine, what is it you find so alluring about our young new addition?" Bors drawled, smirking at the scout who was crouched down, examining marks. The heavy set knight and his healer friend saw the other man's shoulders tense up slightly before he turned to look at them, still crouched down.

"Sophia is Sophia, she is a woman, therefore she is naturally alluring to any red blooded male on this earth. I find her friendship refreshing as opposed to say Lancelot or your company, Bors," he stated, grinning somewhat at his old friend as he watched him ruffle up when Agravaine's words finally sunk in. Agravaine was a good liar, even when it was his friends who were questioning him and knew him better than any other could. "Do not mistake close friendship with something else Bors or I will start questioning your relationship with Dagonet and Arthur's with Lancelot."

"Dagonet and I are like brothers!" Bors roared back as he made to kick Argavaine who quickly straightened and stepped out of dodge.

Dagonet sighed heavily, rubbing his temples. "Bors, let it go. Words are nothing but words unless proven to be real."

"I am not stating anything wrong, but if you continue to badger me with questions or remarks about my friendship with Sophia, I will bring it back full circle," Agravaine replied as he ducked out of Bors' reach when he tried to grab him.

After a moment of playing cat and mouse as it seemed, Bors gave up and just told Agravaine to remember that he had children and a lover. Agravaine had just nodded and then disappeared. "I think you hurt his feelings," Dagonet commented as Bors fell into step alongside him.

"He has feelings?" Bors shot back and Dagonet grinned a little as he caught sight of Tristan and Agravaine not far ahead of them.

"Yes and they rule him even if he does not yet know it."

* * *

Sophia found the tracks that set her heart racing like she had just been jolted by a small surge of lightning. They were large and could easily be mistaken for large wolf tracks if a person did not pay attention to how the weight constantly pressed heavier down on the front of the feet. "He isn't far," she said when Arthur got down behind her and asked her how close he might be.

She heard the low growl and reacted on first impulse and dived back into Arthur, knocking him onto his back as the werewolf broke into the clearing. The three knight who were standing back drew their weapons as the thing stopped between them. Sophia looked from where she was on top of Arthur to the large beast and saw it sniff the air, turning to look at where she and Arthur were before letting out a loud howl.

Before anyone of them realized it, the werewolf drove for Sophia and Arthur. The other knights came into sight just as the thing grabbed Sophia by the arm and made her scream out as it dragged her across the earth and deeper into the forest. It had its teeth dug in tight and without warning it shifted, throwing Sophia through the air. She grunted as her back hit a large tree and knocked the air from her lungs.

Laying on the ground, coughing and clutching her injured arm, Sophia heard the laughter from the man and looked up at him. An arrow broke through the trees and Sophia managed to get to her knees, despite being hunched over. The man moved out of arrow's line and sneered at her. "I don't see why you are so important to your brother and sister. So little and weak," he teased her.

Reaching down to grip the hilt of her sword, Sophia moved as he shifted and roared at her, charging. Just as Arthur and the knights appeared, Sophia drew her sword and sliced up through the air. She heard the sword of it biting into the creatures flesh and it scream in pain as it threw one arm at her wildly in reaction, knocking her back across the ground. Arrows pierced his body and he shifted as he landed over the top of Sophia, growling at her as she shut her eyes and tried to lean further away from him, only her hands holding him back from her by a few inches.

A hand pulled the man by the hair backwards and threw him away from Sophia who crawled backwards now cradling her injured arm.

Agravaine and Tristan didn't even give the man a chance to fight back as Agravaine placed his boot over the man's chest and Tristan brought his sword down. The scream from the man didn't leave Sophia's mind as she felt Galahad trying to pull her to her feet. She let him help her up and looked over at the body of the former werewolf, feeling sick in her stomach.

Even from where they were in the forest, the smell of fire reached them and they all looked up at the sky, or what little of it they could see through the canopy. It was different shades of orange and yellow. A fire burnt sky.

Sophia realized where it was coming from and pushed Galahad away from her. "Arthur, its coming from the village!" she said, grabbing hold of his arm suddenly and attempting to pull him along only to have to let go when her injured forearm complained of her actions.

Arthur said they had to hurry and they all took off for the edge of the forest where their mounts were waiting for them.


	13. Chapter 13

_Check out videos for this story on my new YouTube channel: FanfictionUnlimited._

_Note: _Agravaine originally was nothing like how I have made him; in the first draft with him in it, he was younger than Galahad and the complete of opposite of his current personality.

On another note... I actually had a conversation between Arthur and Lancelot that was close to being like the stable scene in the movie however... something screwed up and my save didn't actually save so what I originally had written has been lost and I ended up struggling to get through this chapter because that scene was so important :( Not happy at all but I hope you enjoy this chapter now the less.

**_Like I said, this is not the usual girl goes back in time story, yes it does have a main knight pairing... just not yet, I wanted to make something original and not just have girl falls for the silent scout or womanizer in a heartbeat or she has already liked him since she watched the movie... Haha, so I hope you all still like it even though the canon knight pairing isn't yet developing- or is it? :P I_****_'m having a heart attack as is, lol! considering how much I have run away from the traditional time travel stuff and wondering how readers will take it._**

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**Chapter XIII**

The smell of smoke overwhelmed them before they reached the village, sending their horses into panics. Coming over the crest of the hill that overlooked the village and forest, Sophia's eyes clouded with tears. They were too late. She could hear the screams and pleas from the villagers but their attackers were deaf to them. Sophia had failed again. She'd been too focused on only hunting the werewolves. She already knew that it was why they had been brought to the village but if they hadn't have gone off on a chase of something that might not have even still been in the forest then they could at least have saved the people by evacuating them when the first signs of an attack came. Now she felt like their deaths were on her hands.

Agravaine was beside her and he glanced at her as she lowered her head, wiping her eyes and cheeks.

Arthur moved his horse closer to hers. "Sophia, do not think this is any fault of yours. We were called to the village to help them and we were," he said. "Things happen that we can not control, it is fate. If we had not been hunting those things, I have no doubt that we would have more trouble on our hands if that creature had appeared whilst we were dealing with those raiders."

She sighed heavily and looked up at him. "Has anyone ever told you how much you sound like a king when you try to console a person?" she inquired. He smiled, it was small but it was there. Sophia knew that if she had not been here, they would have lost a few of the knights without her knowledge of the werewolves but still in preventing one attack, another had still occurred. "It is not fair. We do the right thing and then this happens," she said. Arthur nodded but said the raiders were not going to get too far with those they had enslaved.

They moved fast and without rest, Arthur had refused to let them. They rode the forest line before heading right when they came to a rock wall before them leaving only cliffs beyond. Where they were heading, Sophia did not know, all she did know was that she needed to harden herself. Being with the knights, even just for these few days was showing her that she had a lot to learn, especially if she was stuck in this time.

Their horses were losing their strength from the hard pace Arthur had them at and he finally agreed to stop for the night. They came upon a part of the cliff which dropped away and dug into it was a small hideaway for travelers which was clear by the small fire stones set in a circle in the middle of the place. Galahad and Gawain had collected firewood and Gawain had started a fire as Sophia found the corner of the hideaway and eased herself down into it, shaking a little. Galahad nudged Gawain and motioned over to her when he noticed her not looking at anyone or speaking for that matter. They both frowned, looking more like brothers in that single moment than actual cousins, worried for the young woman who, while extremely brave and determined, was caught following her heart which was turning her into a mess.

Dagonet came over to her and asked if he could check on her arm.

She only lifted up a shoulder in reply and didn't look at him as he sat there beside her, cleaning and dressing the terrible bite marks covering her forearm. Her coat arm needed to be patched up and she would do it as soon as they returned to the wall and she found some material. When he was dressing her wound, Sophia remembered her little pocket companion and undid her coat, pulling it off.

Reaching into the pocket, she pulled out the tiny fox cub and grinned softly as it woke up, yawning before stretching out like a cat or dog would after resting. He was alright aside from the injury he had received before she'd discovered him.

"Where did you find him lass?" Bors asked, noticing the tiny red and white creature sitting among the folds of her large coat.

Sophia smiled a little as she scratched behind one of its ears and it leaned into her hand, clearly liking the affection.

"While we were scouting. I'm glad that he didn't get hurt anymore than he already was when I was being thrown around," she answered, not looking up at the burly knight who crouched down beside her and petted the tiny thing warily. It licked his hand in turn and Bors chuckled.

"So I gather you are keeping the animal?" She looked over at Tristan who was feeding his bird. Realizing that a bird and a fox were naturally enemies Sophia gave him a meek look as she nodded. "As long as he doesn't try and attack my bird then I leave him alone." Sophia was more than happy with that answer and as the fox grew she would train and teach him not to attack the bird.

Arthur sat across from where Sophia was with Lancelot at his side, who clearly did not look at all happy. He did not fail to notice that fact. "What is eating at you Lancelot?" he asked quietly so as none of the others could hear them.

"Nothing," he replied. Arthur shook his head noticing the line of Lancelot's gaze.

"Oh really?" he pressed.

"Yes really," Lancelot replied folding his arms across his chest, frowning even more. Arthur grinned slightly and shook his head. Lancelot was stubborn and full of pride which was not something that came in handy when Sophia was round him for he thought being arrogant was the way to get her attention. It wasn't and as Arthur looked at the group, he was plagued with the question of how many more were going to be lost before their freedom was gained.

Dagonet and Bors sat on a log with Tristan, Sophia sat in the corner with the baby fox, Gawain and Galahad were talking to each other and Agravaine sat on the ground near Sophia, cleaning his sword. It was not hard to see that Agravaine was different towards Sophia but Arthur was pleased that a woman was able to befriend him after all these years of barely speaking to one and only answering Vanora when asked something, Agravaine's skills with women were worse than Galahad's. "She is not some tavern girl Lancelot," he whispered to his friend.

"I am not blind Arthur. If she was one, she would already be heartbroken at my hands," Lancelot shot back. Arthur shook his head.

"Do not treat her so badly."

"She doesn't treat me nicely," Lancelot defended.

Arthur raised an eyebrow at the knight. "Well I can understand as to why she treats you harshly, because you are treating her like some foolish young girl and are challenging her at every chance you get," he stated. "And all because she is not attracted to you at the beat of a heart."

Lancelot growled. "I do not challenge her every chance I get, but when she will not listen-"

"You would do well to remember that there was a time when you would not listen to orders or advice," Arthur interrupted him.

The arms were folded over his chest again and he huffed, turning his back to the fire. "I was a boy. Its different."

"You like her, more than you wish to admit," Arthur stated and saw Lancelot's eyes snap round to look at him. He smiled back at the scowling knight before patting him on the shoulder.

* * *

Agravaine was watching them as they spoke, he could read their lips partially picking up on some of the things they were saying. When he caught the last words from Arthur, he glanced over at Sophia who had asked Dagonet for a bandage earlier, had ripped it in half and was using one of the pieces to wrap up the fox cub's injured paw. It tried to attack the bandage as she was doing so. She was fixing her coat up as a pillow, the pocket where the fox had been originally was just beside her head and he grinned slightly seeing the small thing walking around now, shaking his injured paw, trying to get the bandage off it, even biting at it.

The little thing gave up after a moment or so and continued to explore the camp as the knights settled into their bedrolls for the night. Agravaine found the small creature highly amusing. It went to go near Lancelot who, in a foul mood, swiped his hand at it, knocking him onto his back. Sophia told him to be nice and he only smirked, pushing it back over as it got up, growling at him.

Knowing Lancelot would keep doing it, Agravaine whistled and gained the little cub's attention. It trotted towards him and sat near his feet as he rested back against a log, his bow laying across his chest, ready in case he needed it while he kept watch. He found a stick on the ground and decided to entertain himself and the small thing by playing tug of war with it and the stick. Not long after he began to play, the knights were all asleep, including Tristan who had third watch tonight. Lancelot had the second surprisingly.

He heard the footsteps but didn't look up at her as she came over and bent down to pick up the fox. "You know it was not your fault. Raiders have attack these small valley villages a lot," he stated as he threw the sick away.

"But if we hadn't have been out chasing something that may not have even still been out there," she replied.

Shrugging, Agravaine just told her that Arthur had been right in what he'd told her this morning and she did not need to try and put the blame upon herself.

Sophia didn't say a word back to him and he glanced up at her as she straightened up before walking back over to her coat. "Do you need a blanket?" he asked.

"I'm fine, the fire is strong enough," she answered.

* * *

When Agravaine's watch was over, he woke Lancelot who had grumpily just gotten up and not spoken a word to him. The other knight really was not phased as both he and Lancelot were known for butting heads and ignoring each other a fair bit at times even for no simple reason.

Lancelot was still moody and even he didn't fully know why. Glancing over at Sophia who was sleeping on just the ground and using her coat as a pillow, he noticed her trying to curl up and keep warm. Looking at the ground, he reached round and undid his cloak. Walking over, he dropped it down over her and saw her eyes open up as she hugged it round herself quickly. "Thank you," she whispered. He nodded and walked back over to where he'd been sitting.

It was going to be a long watch.


	14. Chapter 14

**Thank you all for the reviews, glad to see you're all enjoying it. **

_Check out videos for this story on my new YouTube channel: FanfictionUnlimited._

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**Chapter XIV**

Come morning, the knights were all awake and ready to leave just after sunrise. Sophia had been the first to wake up and had put Lancelot's cloak down near him earlier while they were all still sleeping. She had pulled her coat on and was sitting on a log waiting for the others to wake up with the little fox curled up in her lap as she stroked its back gently. While her forearm stung a little, she was glad that the damage had not been greater.

When Arthur asked her how she was, she just said fine. Getting onto her horse, Sophia tucked her new little companion into the saddle bag on the back, making use of the empty thing. They didn't travel as fast in the first half of the day and when they found a place off the track to rest, Sophia questioned Arthur on what they were going to do.

"We are going to free those who were caught," he answered.

She gave him a rueful look. "Yes, I gathered that we were but what I mean is how."

Agravaine grinned from where he sat beside her, again playing tug of war with the baby fox, distracting it from eating the bandage round its paw. She seemed to be a little more like herself today and he glanced up at Arthur as he stood up and headed for his horse. No one else moved, even when he ordered them to. They wanted to know what Arthur was planning for them to do as well. Looking at his knights, he saw Lancelot standing behind most of them, his arms folded across his chest and a smirk on his face. "She raises a good question, as painful as it is to admit that," he commented and Arthur saw Sophia roll her eyes in return.

"I plan to have Tristan and Agravaine, under darkness knock out two of them on watch, Galahad and Gawain will then use their uniforms and walk into camp with a prisoner," Arthur explained.

Sophia thought the plan was ingenious until...

"And you, Sophia will be that prisoner."

"What?" she squealed, standing up and knocking Agravaine backwards off the log when she threw her hands around. Arthur just glanced at Lancelot and smirked, making him laugh as Sophia stood there like a fish out of water for a moment before she huffed and turned round to help Agravaine who was grumbling under his breath as he picked himself up and brushed off the dirt. "Sorry 'bout that."

"Don't apologize," he said as he headed for his horse and Sophia followed him as hers was close by his. "Arthur is using you because you're a woman."

"I still don't see why it has to be me, can't we put Lancelot in a dress?" she inquired, her voice getting louder as Lancelot and Bors rode past. Bors started roaring with laughter as Lancelot glared at her and Agravaine chuckled, shaking his head.

"If he had the legs and shaved off his beard then it would probably work," Tristan commented teasingly as he came up beside them on his horse. "If they were all _very_ drunk." Sophia bit her lip, giggling as Lancelot threatened Tristan's bird for that remark. "Warn all you like for I know you wouldn't lay a hand on my bird for fear of me castrating you."

Lancelot went quiet at that and Galahad said he'd lost count of the score but currently Sophia was in the lead for points, which got a large smile from her and a scowl from Lancelot.

* * *

They got to their destination just near twilight and Sophia listened had just gaped at Arthur in astonishment when he'd told her that one of the scouts would find a dress when they went to find the guards to knock out. "A dress? Arthur, where do you expect me to change into said dress?" she inquired.

Lancelot gave her a once over as she planted her hands on her hips and waited for Arthur to answer her. He waved a hand at the trees and she frowned. "I am not stripping off in the middle of the woods, anyone could see me," she said, actually embarrassed at the idea of doing such a thing. She noticed Lancelot quirk an eyebrow at her and she looked away from him, not exactly feeling as though she had the greater hand at the moment.

"You almost sound like a virgin," Lancelot remarked before noticing her go red in the cheeks and look at the ground. His eyes widened in disbelief.

"Well... if I do that would be because I am one you oaf," she snapped back at him. Not many of the knights knew what to say in response to that statement. Bors cleared his throat and Sophia just turned and walked off. Arthur looked at Lancelot who just raised an eyebrow back in return.

"What'd I do this time?" he asked.

"You don't need to do much," Gawain retorted dryly. Galahad said he'd go and bring her back, moving before Tristan or Agravaine had a chance to.

They made to protest only Arthur told them to start heading for the raiders camp to retrieve the two uniforms they needed.

* * *

Sophia was leaning against a tree, not too far from their hiding place, her hands covering her face as she tried so desperately to get over her embarrassment over what she had just admitted to a group of men who had been treating her nearly like one of them and knew she was never going to hear the end of it from Lancelot. "Me and my big mouth," she muttered.

"Ah don't worry about any of us caring about that." She jumped and looked up at Galahad who smiled a little at her. "Lancelot might give you a bit of hell, but he does it for attention more than anything else and it really doesn't matter Sophia if you are," he said.

She sighed heavily. "Its just embarrassing to admit it to a group of knights who have probably made more women blush by just their suggestions of things," she remarked.

He chuckled a little and spoke: "Well, I didn't start sleeping with women until I was nineteen and it doesn't matter if you are one, it is not that big of a deal to us."

"If this is you trying to cheer me up-"

"It is not working?" he asked and hung his head. "Sorry, I am trying."

She smiled and stepped toward him. "I know and I appreciate Galahad but I can already tell that my time is far more different than this one and it is going to take some getting use to."

"Don't turn into some real princess who believes in a dashing prince, a big castle and happily ever after," he interrupted, pointing a finger at her. "Before tomorrow morning I can safely say most of us will have forgotten what you said."

She giggled a little. "Yes because my life is some fairytale story Galahad that I truly think those things exist, in any time," she replied sarcastically and he grinned, stepping forward and hugging her. Sophia returned the hug, glad that she had Galahad who was not much older than her to talk to at time like this.

* * *

They headed back to the others and found Agravaine was already back and was stripping off the unconscious man. "Couldn't I just kill him?" he inquired, not noticing Sophia behind him.

Arthur gave him a hard look and Agravaine heard the footsteps, glancing over his shoulder and up at the young woman who was just watching with a raised eyebrow Agravaine swallowed the lump in his throat and turned back, finishing stripping the man of his armor and clothing. He nearly woke up half way through only Agravaine punched him and a few of the others chuckled at Agravaine's rough nature.

Gawain was switching his armor when Agravaine stood up and turned to face Sophia holding up a dress. She pulled a face at it and saw him grin back at her. "It was the only one I could find within reach," he remarked.

"I am still not liking this," she commented, taking the dress from him.

She was just out of sight when Arthur told Agravaine to follow her and make sure that she didn't get lost or take too long. A bit embarrassed Sophia stayed ahead of Agravaine until she found enough of a closed off place that she'd be able to get changed. "Keep your back turned."

He held his hands up to her and turned round, arms folded over his chest as he listened to her begin cursing under her breath. "Is killing easy for you?" He raised an eyebrow at her and asked her what she meant. "Well you wanted to kill that man like it was just as regular as taking a bath."

"I'm a knight- I kill because I have to. Over the years of being closed off, I just found it was a way to find release," he answered. "Or I think, its not a thing I have been questioned about and as such have never needed to have an answer." He heard more rustling and cursing, making him grin lightly. "Do you require help, Sophia?"

She said he could turn round and as he did, he found her back to him. He stopped. Pale skin stood out vividly against the deep brown of the dress but it was the sight of the gorgeous smooth skin that he knew would feel so nice to run his fingers over that made him freeze. Her back held no scars like his own did. It just made him feel uncomfortable as she asked him to lace it up. He stepped forward, his fingers clenching into fists a few times as he brought his fingers up to the laces. He did them up as quickly as he could, making sure it was fastened so it wouldn't fall off her.

* * *

When they returned, Sophia felt uncomfortable but found that Agravaine wasn't going to be staying with the others and left quickly. "Where is he going?" she asked Galahad who was changed and fiddling with the fur coat he was wearing. He shrugged and just asked her if she was ready. They had decided at last minute to switch round what they were going to do when out of earshot of Arthur, not wanting to really go against his orders but knowing that catching a woman round here would be slim to none and so they agreed Galahad would head in and just take up a position near where the prisoners were and Gawain and Sophia were to do whatever was necessary to look like they belonged in the camp while trying to find the man who had the keys.

"You up for this?" Sophia looked at Gawain and he could see plainly that she wasn't and he smiled at her, reaching forward and ruffling her hair suddenly and fiddling with her dress. "Now you look right."

"Excuse me?" she asked.

He smirked and grabbed her round the waist roughly. "We need to blend in, what other reason would a man and woman leave the camp for?" he answered matter of fact and she blushed heavily, making him grin widely in return. "You needed to look like you'd just rolled around in the leaves with me."

"I did not need that image imprinted into my mind," she told him as they walked.

He laughed. "I happen to think that'd be a quiet enjoyable experience. So long as I knew that no one was going to stumble across the scene and the woman was extremely worthwhile."

Sophia giggled, shaking her head just as they came into the camp and it was clear that they blended in well. The camp members were either drunk or sleeping, women lay with them here and there and she found it uncomfortable when Gawain put his hands on her like she was his property. It wasn't like she didn't trust Gawain or find him nice to look at it was just that he was a friend and very hands on as it were. He gripped her tightly by the waist and held her in close to him, pretending to be half drunk and barely able to stand on two legs. He played on it very well actually.

"Now how did I not notice this rare beauty?" Both of them stopped and Sophia helped Gawain turn and they found a large man standing behind them. Gawain chuckled and just slurred out something to do with him enjoying the fact only he had her eye. Sophia wished she could smile wide but she preferred to just keep her head down that was until she heard a familiar voice.

"Such a beautiful creature would have a strong spirit, be hard to break her." Agravaine smirked as he appeared from behind the larger man, who laughed out loud at his words. "I'll take her off your hands."

He held a hand out to Sophia and nodded a little at her, giving her a look that told her to come with him. She shook her head. "I think she is frightened of your appearance."

"Frightened or not, she is coming with me," he ordered stepping forward and grabbing her arm, pulling her towards him roughly and away from the others. When he pushed her into a tent, Sophia turned to look at him as he stepped inside and pulled the helmet off and threw it to the ground. "Always hated those things." She smiled a little, putting her hands on her hips only to back up when he stepped in closer to her.

"What?" she asked.

"I know who has the key," he said quietly in case of ears listening in on them and Sophia jumped when she ran back into a crate due to him stepping closer to her.

"So did you get it?" He shook his head and she bit her lip as he pressed himself in against her body, making her blush heavily. "Why not?"

"I needed you in order to get it," he explained as he leaned his head down close to her ear and wrapped his arms around her, making it look to any one who might peek in as though they were kissing.

Sophia wrapped her arms around his neck as he spoke:"This was the only way I could gain you without causing a mock fight with Gawain. This was much easier and less risky." This was not as awkward position as she thought feeling his breath of the side of her neck.


	15. Chapter 15

**Well... Aria DeLoncray actually picked up on something within an early chapter, as I said keen eye there girl, and as I promised it has come up here in this chapter. **

**Enjoy lovelies. **

**Agravaine officially has become the main character in my first real novel I'm starting, however his name is Connor in the novel.**

_Check out videos for this story on my new YouTube channel: FanfictionUnlimited._

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**Chapter XV**

Sophia felt her heart pound in her chest as Agravaine ran his hands round her lower back. His rough hands were so gentle when he touched her that Sophia couldn't help but relax against him as he said that she would need to distract the raider with the key using whatever means she could think of. Agravaine's grip tightened a little before he released her and stepped away. For a moment Sophia actually felt like pulling him back to her, but she remembered that they needed to get the key and do this before most of the camp sobered and woke up. She wanted to feel those hands on her again despite he was so wild and rough in person, his touch was warm, firm and gentle. Sophia shook her head a little, trying to fight back blushing as she realized she was thinking about Agravaine in a much different way than she thought she should have been at the present time.

Just before Sophia was able to move, Agravaine grabbed her by the neck and kissed her, his hands threading through her hair.

Her eyes widened in shock just before he pulled away from her. It was so quick and yet felt like it had lasted for an eternity to Sophia. He seemed slightly embarrassed by what he'd just done as she blushed heavily, a hand covering her lips.

"Come on," he said to her and tugged a still stunned Sophia outside, pretending to be some overly mean raider. She kept in close to his side as he led her towards who she immediately recognized as Galahad. There was another guard with him off out of sight and Sophia glanced at Agravaine, silent asking if this was who she had to help get the keys from. He nodded and she smiled, breaking away from him. Walking over, she sat in the man's lap without asking for permission to, despite how much it repulsed her at smelling his breath and slid her hands up round his neck, giggling and trying to appear interested in him.

That was a difficult feat in which to accomplish.

He grinned at her, his hands immediately groping her in places that Sophia felt were extremely indecent but played along, letting him do so as she watched Agravaine stepped round the back of him. A second later and he was knocked unconscious. Sophia grabbed the keys from his belt as Agravaine dragged him back behind a tent. He appeared a second later and took the keys from her. The odd twenty or so people who had been captured were all quite calm and she gathered whatever Galahad was just saying to them was what had done it.

Gawain appeared and smiled at Sophia who was glad that he was safe. Turning round, they watched as Galahad unlocked the cage and Agravaine ducked in, asking if there was anyone who needed help to walk.

A few gasps from some and Sophia gathered that the sight of Agravaine was not quite what they had pictured. She knew it was only due to the terrible scar running down his face that made him truly look like he was more a bad than good.

"You can trust him. He is a knight from the wall," she whispered and saw him glance over at her with a small glint of thankfulness in his eyes as a few of those who had shied away from him now relaxed.

There were all able to walk but a pregnant woman with a small child asked for Agravaine's help. He moved to the back corner of the prison and helped her up gently holding onto her elbow with one hand as he took the child from her.

Sophia had to admire him, he was so cold and rough at times but at the moment he seemed gentler than any creature on earth that she'd ever known. As Galahad and Gawain kept a lookout Sophia showed those who were first out of the cage to go round the back of it and head straight and told them that they'd find a group waiting for them not far off.

Agravaine had a little girl on his hip as he came out behind the last person and Sophia looked at the tiny child who had her arms around his neck and her head buried in against his chest.

"Galahad, Gawain, they're all out, come on," he said with a commanding air about him. She smiled a little as he kept hold of the small child while following after the prisoners. It was almost too easy that Sophia thought in any moment one of the raiders who notice the empty cages, she didn't know how long the watches on them lasted.

"Point b) I hate dresses because they are impossible to move in," she muttered, trying to hold up the skirt ends as she moved and heard Agravaine laugh a little back at her while Galahad said that at least the dress was becoming on her.

* * *

Arthur and the others were surprised that it had taken so little time for the four to complete their tasks but now they had to move. The knights walked, allowing those more in need of horses to have them due to the long distance it was back to the wall.

"You're bringing them all back?" Sophia was surprised that Lancelot had asked his own commander such a thing.

"Yes, they can't return to their own home, so they can find new ones among villages at the wall," Arthur told him as they walked. Still in the confines of the dress, Sophia was irritated and annoyed with the thing to. It was revealing and gave off the wrong ideas. She stopped when she thought that realizing her own clothes in this time would not exactly be a nun's selection of finery.

Tristan and Agravaine kept scouting both ahead and behind them. Agravaine told her that the raiders were following and that is why Arthur would not rest; he didn't want them to catch up for fear of having the villagers be caught in the crossfire.

Only once did they stop and that was due to the fact that many of the villagers asked and pleaded for them to. It gave Sophia, who found a small cave a chance to change and once she had, she felt more like herself. However her change in attire also brought the attention of a few of the young villagers who seemed interested in talking to her. Every time that she found a place to sit, someone would come up to her.

In the end she gave up and headed up the track from the rest of the party, finding a small boulder and sitting down on it, despite it being slightly uncomfortable, she found the solitude a welcome from the boys who had been at her heels.

"Too many admirers chasing you round back there?" She looked up. How had he gotten so close without her hearing him?

She sighed heavily and nodded. "Too many boys chasing me round, none understanding that I am not looking for such things," she replied and he chuckled a little before silence fell over them both.

"I do apologize."

"Excuse me?" she asked, frowning as he crouched down in front of her.

He looked slightly embarrassed as though he was not comfortable with something he had done or said to her. She could tell because he wasn't looking at her face. Sophia had taken into notice that once she had told him to look at her face, he did so unless he was unnerved or uncomfortable.

"I apologize for kissing you without permission back in the tent," he said, his eyes on the ground. Sophia blushed a little as she remembered the exact moment in which he was referring to. In the haste of everything, she had nearly forgotten it happening, especially since Agravaine had not been near her since coming back to the others.

However she was glad that he had actually brought it up as she had wanted to ask him a question. "Why did you? Kiss me I mean?" she inquired softly as she put her hands in her lap and regarded him as he looked at anywhere but her.

"I- I dragged you into a tent... To them I had taken you in there to claim you," he began and Sophia thought she could see a slight red tinge cross his face, but if it did it was gone in a heartbeat, "and if I made it look like we had been somewhat occupied with that, then it wouldn't have made them question us."

Sophia nodded and looked at her lap. "Do not apologize Agravaine for you didn't do a thing wrong," she told him.

"But-" Rolling her eyes, Sophia lifted her head and leaned forward, using her finger under his chin to make him look up at her, she pressed her lips against his softly. "I-" After a moment, Sophia retreated and pursed her lips, blushing heavily at how bold she had just been. A chaste and small kiss of gratitude had them both stammering for a few moments.

"I should be thankful for if it were someone like Lancelot, I'd be fearing for my virtue," she remarked, glancing at him from beneath her lashes.

He chuckled a little and straightened up, holding a hand out to her. She took it and allowed him to help her up. "I fear that our plan would not have worked if Lancelot had been the one within the tent."

As she giggled at his words, Agravaine bid her farewell for now, even kissing the back of her hand before he disappeared back into the forest to do his work.

* * *

When she came back to the group, she saw Agravaine's horse and hers tethered to a tree and a few children attempting to pet them. They however wanted nothing of it and were trying to bite and kick at the children. "Hey! You kids, leave them alone," she said as she came over. "They don't want to be petted and will become nasty if you do not heed their warnings."

The children all ran off and Sophia smiled a little at how terrified they were of her and seemingly most of the knights. She opened up her saddle pack to find her little fox tucked away in it and sleeping contently.

Agravaine's horse was being ridden by the little girl he had carried out of the camp and the pregnant woman who while she voiced that she was quite scared of Agravaine, needed the help and was grateful that she was able to ride his horse. Sophia helped her up onto the large gelding who whinnied softly as he saw his master approached, holding out a piece of an apple for him.

"Sophia, Agravaine I need to speak with you," Arthur said walking past them. The two followed him and found the rest of the knights towards the back of the party, standing in a circle.

"What is it?" Lancelot inquired, looking at the two who came up behind Arthur.

"We are not going to make it back to the wall, Tristan said they are still following us and at a faster pace than we can travel." Agravaine grumbled something about sending the people ahead with Dagonet and Sophia.

"I'm not running off," Sophia said looking at him .

Lancelot raised an eyebrow, all pretenses of being nice like he had been when he'd saved her were all gone and he smirked. "Our little lady wishes to fight? Here I thought you'd be afraid to break a nail."

Sophia rolled her eyes heaven ward before she brought her foot down on Lancelot's making him cringe and scowled as she pushed his head away from hers. "Overgrown child," she muttered and saw Arthur grin. "I can help, Arthur, eight to forty is not exactly a fair fight."

All of the knights looked at her and she obviously had just wounded their pride a little. "We like it when the odds aren't in our favor," Gawain remarked, grinning like a lion at her. Sophia shook her head at how easily they seemed to accept that they were about to kill people.

"Makes things much more interesting," Bors chuckled before they set things into motion and Arthur told Dagonet to move the people as quickly as he could.

Sophia actually kept by Arthur's side and noticed him grinning slightly as she listened to him barking orders to the knights. When he finally turned to her, Sophia looked at him expectantly. "Go with Lancelot."

So she had not exactly been expecting to get sent with Lancelot. Though not liking the idea, she headed after Lancelot who was strutting off. When he noticed her, he asked her what she was doing. "Arthur told me to follow you. Believe me, I'm not exactly pleased with this," she said, frowning at him as he smirked.

Drawing her sword, Sophia did not fail to notice how Lancelot leered at her but she opted to ignore it and not get into an argument with him when they had a job to do. Crouching down as Lancelot rested up against a tree, she asked him what they were meant to be doing. "Waiting," he replied as if it was as clear as day.

She frowned. "I am not stupid Lancelot, what I mean is what are we meant to be doing when they come?"

"Just do what women do best and keep your lips sealed."

Sophia gaped and scowled before straightening up, turning and stepping toward him. He quirked an eyebrow at her, smirking at the cool smile on her face. She was nearly pressed up against him, earning her a rakish grin from the dark knight, when her knee raised up between his legs. His face drained of all color and Sophia smirked proudly as he whimpered in pain, holding himself upright as best as he could.

"You... damn witch!" he growled out and Sophia just turned and returned to watching the path.

"Sticks and stones Lancelot... just names that hold no sway over me," she replied, not looking round at him.

Under other circumstances, Lancelot would have found her to be a challenge to conquer however it seemed that no amount of bad boy remarks and flashy smirks were going to win Sophia like they did with other women and it frustrated him beyond words that she didn't seem one bit interested him when women usually tried anything to gain his attention.

* * *

Tristan looked at Agravaine who seemed to have a small smile permanently fixed on his face at the moment. "What are you so happy about?" he grumbled in question.

The other man looked at him and just shook his head. "Nothing," he answered.

Tristan just huffed in reply and said he didn't believe him. "Its the woman isn't it?" The scout smirked seeing his friend tense a little. "Are you going to-"

"None of your business," Agravaine interrupted his friend as they fixed arrows into their bows.

The swiftness of his interjection made Tristan laugh and actually laugh out loud. Agravaine's own actions to cover up his feelings were giving them away as plain as day. When he finally settled down, he noticed Agravaine was looking off across the road and down at the ground. The pair were crouched on two thick sprawling branches of a tree, positioning themselves just enough out of the sight that while their intended targets would not see them when they came upon this part of the road, the knights would most definitely be able to see them.

Tristan followed his friends gaze and raised an eyebrow. The picture before them looked as though Sophia were about to kiss Lancelot when suddenly he nearly doubled over in pain and she moved away from him. Agravaine snorted, clearing trying to mask his amusement at what the young woman had just done to the knight who normal garnered all the attention of women.

Something sharp ran through his side suddenly and he half-groaned and half-growled, clutching at his side. Not being blind to his friends movements and sounds, Tristan put a hand on his shoulder. "Are you alright?" he asked.

Agravaine nodded. "I am just a little sore. When we finish this fight, I need to get my armor off," he breathed out.

Tristan's brow creased. "Are you sure? Those cuts could be infected," he stated and Agravaine just shook his head, again assuring his fellow knight that he was fine. For some reason, the sweat on Agravaine's temple did not exactly assure Tristan that his friend was fine, if anything it drew concern from the otherwise stoic knight.


	16. Chapter 16

**This chapter was a little hard to write, I have no clue why so if there is anything wrong with it, let me know I took down the first version and rewrote a few parts. Enjoy my girls and let me know what you think of it.**

_Check out videos for this story on my new YouTube channel: FanfictionUnlimited._

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**Chapter XVI**

Agravaine felt like he was ill, the sweat on his forehead didn't go unnoticed by Tristan, he knew that but he was trying to ignore the pain coursing through his side. He'd had injuries before, even the one he'd suffered on his face where nothing like this. It felt like it was becoming infected with each passing hour. His armor felt tight. A cold rage was running through him and he struggled to keep from giving away to Tristan that he was barely conscious.

When Sophia had kissed him earlier on, Agravaine had barely been able to form a coherent sentence and felt like a fool more so for it. He was a hardened warrior and he had been rendered unable to speak because a woman kissed him. Albeit a very pretty woman.

"Focus," Tristan grunted out. Agravaine looked down and noticed Sophia and Lancelot arguing with each other and raised an eyebrow at them wondering what had happened now to set the pair off on one another.

"Can I hit him?" Agravaine mumbled.

Tristan chuckled, shaking his head. "Relax Agravaine, you almost sound jealous." The older of the two smirked seeing the look on his friend's face. Agravaine liked Sophia. Lancelot lusted after her as he did with anything that walked and Sophia seemed to be uninterested in them both.

"I'm not jealous," he snapped.

Shaking his head, Tristan pointed to Sophia. "She is not from our time. Better to let it go before you feel anything Agravaine. Lancelot will probably-"

Agravaine looked at his lap, interrupting Tristan. "I kissed her."

The scout actually was somewhat taken back. "You kissed her? When?" he inquired, almost sounding like he was happy to hear the news despite what he'd just been saying.

"In the tent back at the raiders camp- she just felt so nice to hold and I couldn't think straight," he murmured, not mentioning that Sophia had kissed him when they'd been away from the group.

Tristan didn't say anything but he did have a ghost of a smile at the corners of his mouth which Agravaine did not fail to notice.

* * *

Lancelot and Sophia were not speaking to one another after she hit him, which was fine by her until he started cursing her under his breath. "Oh do shut up!" she snapped suddenly.

"Excuse me?" he asked.

"I can hear what you're cursing about and believe me, that knee was nothing that you, as a sorry excuse for a man, did not deserve," Sophia told him bluntly.

"Sorry excuse for a man?"

She just lifted a shoulder up in reply and nodded. "What else can I say about you when all you ever do is stare at my breasts or legs or wherever else you find appealing on a woman and treat me like I'm some tavern whore who is lusting after you," she accused. The man was insufferable enough but the fact that he liked to leer at her openly unnerved Sophia who did not enjoy such attention from him.

"Now that you mention it; Agravaine seems to enjoy looking at your rear," Lancelot remarked, folding his arms across his chest, with a large smirk. Sophia blushed furiously. Agravaine did that? If he did, she had not noticed him doing so.

"Unlike you, Agravaine does not exactly stare at me openly and so I do not notice that he is doing such things," she defended the scarred knight and saw Lancelot quirk an eyebrow at her.

"Oh really?" he inquired, having found his advantage over the young woman. "I wonder what he was looking at when you were changing into the dress and Arthur sent him after you."

"He had his back turned, like I asked him to do," she shot back.

Lancelot chuckled, finding the clearly embarrassed and shy side of the normally composed and very clever woman highly amusing. "If I was Agravaine-"

"Which you aren't," she interrupted and saw Lancelot give her a strange look before he turned his back on her. Sophia lowered her eyes to the ground. "You're nothing like him."

Lancelot grinned and glanced over his shoulder at her. "You're right. I'm nothing like him and that is what attracts you to us both," he stated.

Sophia's eyes widened and she pushed the biting remark she originally had in her mind down, choosing her words carefully. "I am not attracted to either of you, Lancelot. I am not from this time and anything I do might upset things that should not be trifled with."

"Whatever you say Sophia, but it is there and no amount of denying it is going to make it go away," he told her.

Sophia looked down at the ground. "I don't need to push away something that is not there in the first place," she murmured back.

"As much as I enjoy our arguments do you mind if we do what we've been told to do and continue this later?" he inquired of her.

"We won't need to continue because this argument is over and we are not going to bring it back up," she answered making him chuckle. Sophia didn't like Lancelot. He was everything in a man, and more, that she thoroughly disliked and yet he was brazen enough to try and tell her that she did like him. "You are an insufferable twit."

Lancelot looked at her as though she had just grown a second head and she just pushed by him, stepping out onto the road and making sure that she had her hands crossed in front of her. She needed air and Lancelot was not helping her.

He grinned and followed her quickly. "Insufferable twit am I? What does that make you then?"

"A very patient person," she said, grinning widely as he frowned at her answer.

Before he could reply, Lancelot saw the raiders coming down the road and inwardly wished he could smack himself for getting distracted by her. Lancelot drew one sword and looked at Sophia, giving her a warning to not try anything.

She just smirked at him and Lancelot was a little taken back at how truly striking she was standing there with her arms folded over her chest, one of those well rounded hips out to one side as she leaned her weight on one leg more than the other and a look that could have sent him chasing after her like a puppy. Realizing his train of thought, Lancelot shook his head a little and saw her step in behind him.

The group of raiders stopped about ten feet or so from Lancelot and Sophia. He was grinning slightly while she looked at the motley bunch and found herself disgusted with their appearances even more in the daylight and felt repulsed that she had actually let one of them touch her.

"Not exactly a trail, a couple should be taking on their own," the leader grunted out in a language that Sophia didn't understand. "Especially with a lover who looks as alluring as yours does." The man sneered as Sophia glanced at him from beneath her lashes and she ducked her head, stepping in close to Lancelot's side. He slid an arm around her waist tightly holding her against him, protectively. She was a little surprised at how nice his hand felt against her stomach. It wasn't nearly as uncomfortable as she had expected.

"We're traveling to my home, I am not so skilled with directions. Would you mind pointing me in the direction of Badon Fort?" Lancelot inquired of the man.

The man smirked and chuckled. "We're heading that way ourselves, we'll take you with us. Sarmatian scum took some property of mine and I'm gonna reclaim it."

Lancelot's hand tightened around his sword before he let go of Sophia and drew his other sword. "Gentlemen, you have the option of dropping you weapons and heading back the way you came, or you can die right here and now," he stated with an air that clearly said he wasn't joking.

Sophia stepped back behind him as the men all laughed. "When my men finish with you, boy, we'll have fun with your woman."

She took about six steps back from Lancelot and saw Arthur to her left in the shadows. Almost as soon as the man had finished speaking, the raiders charged forward to attack Lancelot and Arthur came out of his hiding place to help him while Galahad and Gawain came out from behind them, effectively splitting them all off in separate directions.

While she stood away from the fight she didn't need to move into it, because two of them were coming straight for her. Ducking the sword that was swung toward her throat, she decided to use a different style of fighting on the man. Zach had taught it to her; Carl had always called it more bullying and rough-housing than actual teaching but it served her well.

She elbowed the man in the face who owned the sword she'd ducked and grabbed his wrist. Pulling him in closer to her, she punched him in the face and kicked the inside of his knee, dropping him to the ground. Sophia nearly screamed when the arrow flew past her lodged itself into the man's throat, doing what she could not.

Reminding herself to thank Agravaine, or Tristan, later she turned round only to have a strong fist wrapped around the hilt of a sword connect with her jaw and cheek. It rendered her nearly unconscious from the force of the blow.

* * *

Tristan and Agravaine had deadly aim even when not fully focused on their targets, however the younger of the two found his attention slipping more to the woman and where she was than on covering his brothers. When he had managed to kill the one she'd been fighting, Agravaine felt a sharp pain momentarily blinding him from doing anything at all and he groaned sharply, almost dropping his weapon to the ground.

"Agravaine, get down and move," Tristan ordered as he slipped from his perch with all the gracefulness of a cat. Agravaine followed, staggering slightly and needing to use the tree to right himself as Tristan killed one raider who was at Gawain's back.

So much for being outnumbered, the raiders were no match for the knights however Agravaine took a beating. He was cut across his left bicep and his lip was bleeding from where he'd been punched. As the others looked over the dead, he glanced around, trying to locate Sophia but she wasn't anywhere in sight.

Crouching down in the spot where she had been standing earlier, he noticed the drag marks ending into the forest. Without telling Arthur, who luckily glanced up and noticed his knight rushing away from the others. "Agravaine!"

Someone was trying to forcibly pull another along and she was putting up a fight. He smiled a little as he jumped and dodged the wildlife around him, a surge in strength making him move faster than he thought possible. If Sophia didn't want to be moved, she would be a handful and hard to control, he knew it wasn't in Sophia's nature to give up easily, no matter what she said at times.

* * *

Sophia growled, struggling against the man holding her as he dragged her through the forest. She had managed to get away from him, only he had caught hold of her again. His hand covered her mouth and as much as she tried, he managed to keep hold of her this time.

The raider holding her shouted out in pain suddenly and before she knew it they had tumbled to the ground. Sophia groaned as she rolled away, finally getting out of his grip.

"You dog!" the man roared as Agravaine grinned wickedly at the other man, taking a fighting stance. His sword had a thin trail of blood on it. The man's boot was split and it was beginning to turn a dark brown from where he was bleeding.

Agravaine looked ill, Sophia noticed but as she watched him, her eyes followed the way his body move smoothly into a different stance almost as though it were a dance. He was a warrior. She was nothing.

She crawled to her knees and had nearly gotten to her feet, when a hand entangled into her hair, yanking back her head violently, causing her to yelp.

A nasty jagged dagger came to her throat and Sophia looked up at the man, the dagger pressed in a way that made her unable to see when Agravaine was. "Go back to your master!"

"Not without her," Agravaine replied coolly, taking a step closer to them. The dagger came closer. She could feel its cool edge on her skin. If he pressed any closer, Sophia knew he'd draw blood and possibly kill her.

The man smirked and yanked on Sophia's hair violently, earning a noise of pain from Sophia, who was trying hard to keep her neck from bending too far back as it was extremely uncomfortable.

Agravaine took a step forward at that only to stop when the man told him he would kill her if he came any closer. "You won't," Agravaine said.

Sophia looked at the man holding onto her hair, believing Agravaine to be crazy in that moment. "Go run back to your master, puppy! I don't have time for you!"

"As I said; not without her."


	17. Chapter 17

**You seriously have no idea, how much fun it was at one point to write this chapter :) That in mind... I was a little wary with the ending of this chapter so let me know what you think of it. Now I'm off to get my hair cut off :) Haha. I might change my DP if I can get a good enough picture of it once its done. **

**NEW VIDEO UP FOR THIS STORY.**

_Check out videos for this story on my new YouTube channel: FanfictionUnlimited._

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**Chapter XVII**

The dagger pressed harder into her skin and she bit her lip to stifle a whimper as it finally pierced her neck, drawing a thin line of blood. "Hurt her anymore and I won't kill you as quickly as you'll wish I had once I'm done with you."

The man smiled cruelly and dragged Sophia to her feet. "So protective of a girl? Must be nice to feel skin like hers under your fingers, hey?"

Agravaine saw the movement and found Lancelot had managed to catch up to them. The curly haired knight nodded at his companion.

Sophia jerked her head away from the man when he ran a finger down her cheek, repulsed. She turned and spat in his face, elbowing him in the chest before landing a solid punch across his jaw, knocking him back. He grabbed hold of her injured wrist and suddenly tensed up before releasing her wrist quickly. Lancelot pushed him to the ground, one of his swords dug into the man's back and Sophia looked up at him in fright.

Agravaine came to her side and she watched as Lancelot crouched down to check the man. Turning to face him, she looked down at his side and noticed how he had a hand over where he'd been scratched. Frowning, she made to touch him only he backed up into a tree.

Lancelot stood up and asked Sophia what was wrong. She didn't answer him and he tilted his head to the side as Agravaine growled at suddenly. Leaning round her, he watched as she pulled away Agravaine's clothing a little to reveal one of the cuts.

Arthur and Tristan came up behind them and Agravaine looked at the pair close to him. Sophia backed away from him, eyes wide in terror. She collided with Lancelot who grabbed hold of her arms, steadying them both.

"What's wrong?" Arthur asked.

"Agravaine, how much pain are you in?" Lancelot inquired, ignoring Arthur's question.

Agravaine just lifted a shoulder slightly. "Why?"

"Your wounds, they're infected," Sophia said, leaning back into Lancelot a little.

"There is always a risk of infection Sophia when we are injured," Arthur stated and Sophia shook her head as did Agravaine.

"No, it isn't the injuries but more so whatever the claws held that went into Agravaine when he was cut," she said, clearly trying to explain something that she could not understand fully herself at the moment.

Agravaine pushed off the tree and took a few steps towards her only to have her move further away from him. "I'm becoming one of those things, aren't I?"

Lancelot looked down at Sophia when she sighed heavily and looked at the ground. "I think... I don't fully understand how it works. The Order, or really Carl does but..." she trailed off. She spun round suddenly, nearly knocking Lancelot over. "Arthur is there a monastery near the wall? They would have people who belong to a thing called the Order living there."

Sophia only prayed they were already around in this time. If they weren't then she knew Agravaine was lost.

Arthur glanced round at Tristan for a moment before nodding. "There is a monastery near the wall. I have heard of people belonging to something called the Order living there, but that was some years ago, I do not know if they are still there," he told her. "Why do you ask?"

She looked at Agravaine and smiled a little. "Think you could fight that until we get to the monastery?" Despite how hazy his head was, Agravaine nodded.

"Sophia, what are you thinking?" Arthur inquired.

"We get him to the monastery-"

"You were bitten," Tristan interjected motioning to her arm. "Why aren't you feeling the way Agravaine is?"

Looking down at her arm, Sophia wondered that herself and shook her head. "I don't know. This is the first time any of them have ever marked me. As for what I am thinking; we get to the monastery and see if they have something that can help Agravaine. We're not far from the fort, the villagers could go the rest of the way themselves now that we've stopped the raiders, Arthur?"

The man looked at his scout and second in command who both just gave him looks that said it was his choice before turning to his third knight who was not fairing well before nodding seeing the sweat on Agravaine's forehead. "If that is what you think will work, we'll go there."

* * *

Agravaine sat close to the fire that night as they camped. He had stripped off his armor almost as soon as he'd been able to and was now in his breeches and a shirt having removed everything else when he couldn't shake how tight and restricting everything felt. He still was uncomfortable but he didn't wish to remove anymore of his clothing. Gawain had made the comment that he didn't look like himself without his armor or weapons on him and he felt that way. Without even just the dagger normally hidden in his boot, he felt vulnerable.

Both he and Tristan slept with a weapon within reach, no matter where they were. Even if in their rooms, a dagger would be hidden out of plain sight but they were there should they need them. Agravaine had needed it once. It'd been about seven or so years ago and Lancelot had mistakenly scorned two sisters by bedding one and then the other. Their brother and the younger of the two had gotten the wrong room and it had been that one moment that had made Agravaine close off from women. He'd killed the girl and the brother had run off. Arthur had never held him accountable for his actions as he'd been defending himself at the time but even now he could see the moment as clear as though it'd happened yesterday. That was another reason why most didn't interact with Agravaine and why his friendship with Lancelot was strained like it was.

He was sitting with his back against a log and one leg curled under the other, arms folded over his chest and his eyes taking in the rest of the group.

The villagers had continued on once they had been told which way to head and reassured that they would be safe from here to the fort.

Arthur had stopped Sophia and spoken with her for a moment or two which had left her keeping distance from the knights afterwards and despite not entirely convinced that a monastery would in fact be able to help him and not wishing to doubt Sophia's idea, Agravaine went on a little faith. He glanced over at where she was sitting away from everyone with her back to them.

"So... what's it feel like?"

Turning his gaze up to his youngest cousin, Agravaine gave him a weary look before lifting a shoulder up. "Both painful and incredible at the same time. My insides feel as though they are trying to reshape themselves, but then there is an incredible rush that I can't explain. I don't like it," he answered, shifting slightly as he leaned back against the log Galahad was sitting on.

As the others talked animatedly, not questioning Agravaine any further, he noticed Lancelot walking towards Sophia and rolled his eyes. This was not going to end well.

* * *

Sophia heard the footsteps and sighed heavily. "I am not in the mood to deal with you Lancelot."

He grinned a little and moved to sit down beside her. "Well too bad, you are stuck with me," he said and saw her give him an annoyed scowl for a moment before turning away from him. "Why are you sitting over here by yourself?"

She lifted a shoulder up. "I felt like it."

"You're lying," he accused and Sophia rolled her eyes.

"Maybe I am, but I do not wish to discuss with you as to why I am sitting on my own," she retorted. Her tone clearly said to go away but Lancelot wasn't about to be hindered that easily.

"You know-" he started, glancing over his shoulder and noticing Agravaine looking in their direction, "whatever Arthur said that has clearly upset you, ignore it." A little taken back, she gave a look that clearly said he had guessed the right reason and she didn't want to talk about it. "Arthur is a good man but he puts his faith in this too much." Lancelot reached round and lifted up the cross necklace she wore. "In a god that has never answered his prayers."

"His faith keeps him strong though," she whispered, covering his hand with her own and surprising him at the gentleness of her touch. "Everyone has their weaknesses Lancelot."

"Not me," he replied.

He saw the corner of her mouth lift up a little before she glanced at him. "It takes a strong man to admit they do. Not accepting it can only make it stronger in its fight to bring him down."

Lancelot frowned. "You sound like him. And a man is only as strong as he believes himself to be, Sophia. However, a woman-" he stopped for a moment, his hand tightening round the pendant and pulling her a little closer to him, "now she, she is a man's true weakness. She can bend his will with a flutter of pretty eyelashes, pouting lips a man only wishes he could kiss so badly, tease him with her curves until he is so hungry for her..."

She blushed a little. "A man's true weakness is a woman?" He nodded. "Only if they let them be Lancelot."

He smirked roguishly at her. "What if I told you the woman I was just describing does that to more than one man, even if she doesn't quite yet know it or accept it?" he inquired, his eyes dropping to those pouting lips he had only a moment ago described to their owner.

"I would say she is very lucky to be so apparently beautiful that she is able to do that," she answered.

Lancelot chuckled, leaning forward and kissing her lightly. Sophia pulled back and stared at him with wide eyes before looking away, her cheeks on fire. "She is very beautiful and I am strong enough to admit that even though she and I disagree quite a lot," he remarked.

"Lancelot-" He stood up before she could continue and said goodnight to her. He walked back to the others with a large grin on his face despite that he knew Agravaine's scowl was aimed directly at him.

* * *

Sophia had managed to climb into the bedroll despite still a little confused by Lancelot's actions and words earlier on. Why had he said and done those things when he acted like he hated her most of the time? Without an answer, Sophia was wary of Lancelot's intentions, knowing that if he was like she thought then he wouldn't give up easily.

She had set her bedroll close to where Agravaine was still sitting against the log, unmoving and looked at him as she lay there. "Staring can be considered very rude," he drawled out and she grinned, blushing a little.

"How are you feeling?" she asked.

"Well my head feels like it wishes to split in two currently, I am uncomfortable in my own clothing and skin, my mouth is dry... Wish me to continue?" he answered, glancing down at her.

Sophia shook her head slowly, careful that she didn't wake up her little sleeping companion which was buried in against her chest. "I promise that I won't stop until I find a cure for you," she said after a few moments and crawled from her bedroll moving to sit down beside him. He shut his eyes and reached out between them to take hold of her hand and bring it up to his lips. Seeing her small smile, he grinned. Something about the woman calmed him greatly. Whether it was just how she so easily accepted his appearance or something else, he didn't care. Of course when he'd kissed her in the tent it hadn't been for the excuse he'd said but merely because he'd had an urge to. An urge he wished to repeat only after seeing what had transpired between her and Lancelot, Agravaine wasn't so sure.

"He kissed you," he mumbled after a moment, his thumb tracing an invisible circle over her skin.

She nodded. "I don't know why, we don't get along."

Agravaine pulled her a little closer to him, keeping his voice low. "Be careful Sophia, he will hurt you."

"I don't see how he will, when I don't see him in that regard," she whispered, reaching up to touch his cheek gently. "I would've slapped him but I didn't need to do verbal combat with him tonight."

"Sophia..." She moved a little faster than Agravaine anticipated. Her mouth covered his gently and he hesitated for a moment before wrapping a hand round her neck and returning the kiss. After a moment or so, a noise caused Sophia to pull back sharply and Agravaine breathed in deeply for a few seconds. "Better kisser than him?" He only meant it in a teasing manner. Her look of embarrassment made him smile a little.

She leaned in closer to him as he pulled his hand from hers. "For a man without much practice?"

"I've had two lovers." Her nod made Agravaine's smile grew wider before he laughed slightly.

"You are."

"Who would've thought it?"

"Will you teach me?" He glanced at her.

"Teach you to- kiss?"

She blushed furiously. "No. Fight, the way you do."

Agravaine shook his head. "No."

"No?"

"I prefer you the way you are, Sophia. You want me to teach you to kill easily and I can not do that," he told her. Sophia frowned a little as she watched him fiddling with one of his daggers. After a moment or so he sighed heavily and looked up at her. "You had better get some sleep little one."

Sophia lowered her gaze and nodded moving back to her bedroll. Lancelot was seducing her. Agravaine clearly had an interest in her. In her mind, all she wanted to do was kiss Agravaine again. Realizing her train of thought, she smiled a little. Lancelot could try all he wanted, she didn't like him and found his opinion of women deplorable enough that she could not stand him even at the best of times.

"Goodnight Sophia."

Looking over at Agravaine she smiled seeing him watching her. "Goodnight."


	18. Chapter 18

**Well I haven't got much to say except I hope you enjoy the OC/OC at the moment... One character from Van Helsing retains his name from that movie and in this story because I absolutely love the character and the name suits him so much.**

**ANOTHER NEW VIDEO IS UP, THIS TIME ON LANCELOT AND SOPHIA! *They are still a pairing just a none lovey dovey one currently* :)**

**It also includes a few little cameo shots of characters who have yet to come into the story, but still haha enjoy working out where and when they might.**

**NOTE: Due to some stupid mixing up and confusion, the video "apparently" not viewable by the rest of the world on YouTube. If this is the case, there is a link in my profile that will take you to a copy where it will work for you all :) **

**Let me know. Took me ages, seriously.**

**Next on the way is "Ice Heart" for DAP.**

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**Chapter XVIII**

The monastery wasn't quite like Sophia pictured but she had to remind herself that there was over a thousand years of difference between her own time and the present... past. She didn't know which was correct but she rightly didn't care about it all that much. She more cared for finding out if her queries were right or not. They were greeted outside by a man dressed in a red robes with a gold necklace on. Arthur seemed to know him and Sophia hung back with the knights as Arthur spoke to the man. After a few words, the man glanced over towards Sophia and then back to Arthur, nodding at him.

He approached Sophia who folded her arms across her chest. "My lord Arthur here says you know something of The Order, child?"

Sophia nodded. "I was helping them. A close friend of mine was a friar in the church of Rome before he came to aid my family years ago," she answered. "I didn't know whether they would be here or not."

"We are in more places than most who know of us would like to think. May I ask what your name is?" he said with a smile.

"Sophia."

"Just Sophia?" he pressed as though expecting her to have a much longer name to give him.

She sighed.

"Sophia Marie Lore Valerious." He seemed to pause for a moment before glancing down at her clothing as though only just noticing how she was dressed.

"Sophia? You are Romanian?"

Arthur frowned. "How do you know that?" he inquired.

The man held up a hand and asked them to wait here for a moment before quickly rushing away. Sophia was confused. How did he know that when she had only told the knights where she was from? Turning to face the group of ragtag looking men she smiled a little, refolding her arms across her chest as she watched Agravaine try and stay conscious on the back of his horse. He didn't even have strength to get off the horse which made Sophia wonder just whether he would become a werewolf or if his wounds were just infected badly.

"Well, safe to say I would never join the ranks of monks." Glancing up at Lancelot, as he spoke suddenly, to find him grinning devilishly in her direction alone. "They dress like women and can't have women. What a horrible way to live."

"Says you," she shot back.

Seeing his look, she wished she could take back her remark. He'd been baiting her; knowing she'd say something. "I do say so. How anyone could-"

"Lancelot, they do it because they are not like you, for which I thank heaven and skies above for that," Sophia argued, cutting him off and watching as he folded his arms across his chest and raised an eyebrow at her.

Before anyone could stop them or put their opinion into the argument another voice made Sophia's eyes light up wide. "Damn it man, I was very busy!"

"Carl!" Without warning Sophia spun round and rushed toward the owner of the voice, wrapping her arms around him tightly.

After a moment or so of looking down at the woman in apparent shock, he returned the tight hug, almost lifting the small woman off the ground. "I take it you two know each other?" Arthur asked, watching the pair with a slight smile.

Sophia pulled back and nodded.

Carl wrapped his arm around the tiny woman's waist in an affectionate gesture which the men did not fail to notice. He was not much older than Galahad by the look of him. Sandy blond hair reached just past his ears and he was not much taller than Sophia herself. He wore brown robes and it made him seem a little large in the waist as it was not tied round him properly.

When Carl smiled at Sophia and Arthur noted the clear look of brotherly affection in the gesture.

"I am glad you are alive," Carl told her. She smiled at him and nodded.

"All thanks go to my rescuers," she said, motioning to the group of men who all gained either embarrassed smiles or just nodded.

"Forgive me but did you curse before to the father, you're a monk?" Arthur questioned only just remembering.

Carl glanced at Arthur and Sophia just covered her eyes for a moment. "Actually I'm still just a friar, I can swear or curse all I like." She shook her head, hugging him again as he laughed and Arthur chuckled at the response. "Now... what brought you here in the first place? Silvanus said you were asking about the Order?"

She nodded before hanging her head. "I did. I thought they may have a cure for-"

Carl raised an eyebrow at her reaction. "For?" he pressed.

"Werewolf injuries."

He sucked in a deep breath and stepped back from her, looking her over worriedly. "You?" She nodded, pulling her jacket and coat arm back to reveal the bandaging Dagonet had redressed the bite wounds with this morning. "Anyone else?" Again, she nodded. "Who?"

"My knight, Agravaine was injured," Arthur replied before Sophia could.

Carl looked the knights over before noticing the one in question barely conscious on the back of his horse. "Quickly, bring him inside-" he said and turned to face Sophia, "I need you to tell me exactly what happened."

As Tristan and Dagonet helped Agravaine from his horse and into the monastery, Sophia explained to Carl what had happened, how long it had been since the both of them had been injured and that he was not doing so well.

The knights followed Carl down a number of hallways as Sophia asked Carl about why she was not in the same condition as Agravaine was. "That I do not know-" he began as he pushed open a large door and stepped back to let Tristan and Dagonet in. Inside it seemed more like a prison than it did a healing room, "however it will take a few hours for me to make the cure, I do hope it works for him considering how long since his injury."

Carl made to shackle Agravaine's arm to the wall behind the cot Tristan and Dagonet had laid him upon however a sword came to his throat. He swallowed thickly and looked at the scout who gave him a placid and emotionless stare. "I need to restrain him in case he begins to turn. If he is allowed loose we are all dead."

Sophia placed a hand over Tristan's and pulled the scout away. "Come on Tristan. I promise Carl knows what he is doing," she whispered to him as he turned to face her.

* * *

Nightfall came and Carl was still dashing in and out of the place to make the cure. The knights, Arthur and Sophia were all placed in a room with a number of chairs and tables in it and a fireplace. A boy clearly not older than sixteen brought them food and seemed to stare at Sophia, which she did notice and felt unnerved by it. Tristan scared him off and Sophia relaxed a little as she ate until they heard him. Agravaine was crying out. Both she and Tristan looked at the door and then to each other in worry. Without a thought as to what Carl might be doing, Sophia took off out the door and down the few hallways to the room where Agravaine was. His cries were much clearer now and she realized he was begging for help.

Opening the door, she stepped inside and shut it behind her. Turning she found him sitting up on the edge of the bed trying to pull the shackle at his wrist from the wall. "Agravaine," she said gently. He glanced at her before resuming what he had been doing. "Agravaine, please you need to stop."

"Why?" he growled back, his eyes shifting. He was turning. She only hoped Carl was nearly finished.

"Because I am asking you to," she replied, holding her hands up a little in front of her. "Look I have no weapons and nothing to hurt you with."

He smirked. "There's your first mistake, little one." Sophia's eyes widened in terror as he stood up from the cot and dropped the broken shackle to the ground. "I've been able to run for some time." This wasn't Agravaine. Sophia knew that something within a man changed when he began to shift and could see it in the way Agravaine moved now. His eyes were different, his steps towards her were more menacing than what Agravaine's would have been. His injuries seemed to have miraculously healed and she swallowed the thick lump in her throat as her back hit the hall.

His body and arms trapped her, a deep wolf like purr coming from the knight before her as he leaned forward and rubbed his cheek against hers gently. She shut her eyes tightly in reply. She put a hand up against his bare chest and saw him glance down at it. "Why haven't you run then?"

He chuckled. "Because whether the old Agravaine is in charge or I am, both still have affection for you. That is what stopped me from running. I knew you would be drawn to him asking for help but I for one would enjoy not sharing you with the weakling he was," he replied.

"You can fight this, I know you're stronger than the others Agravaine," she pleaded watching as his hand covered her own that was on his chest.

"Why would he want to fight what he knows will make him feel so much better and stronger?" he queried just before his hand pushed her own away.

Sophia moved towards the door, only to be grabbed back against Agravaine and held fast by an extremely strong and vice like grip. She winced and asked him to let her go. The pain in her voice was what triggered it, it was the only thing that she could think of that she hadn't already tried that suddenly changed his demeanor.

The grip suddenly slackened and Sophia spun round to face the knight who looked the complete opposite as to what he had done moments ago. "Agravaine?"

He looked up at her. "Sophia," he rasped out and she caught him as he nearly collapsed to the ground. She only saved him from a very hard collision with the cold stone as his weight caused her to fall back. He was atop her and he looked up slowly, shaking his head a little as though trying to get rid of whatever had just come over him. "I... I didn't hurt you?"

She shook her head as she sat up. He lay with his head against her legs, his hand softly stroking her knee as she brushed his hair back from his face. "You need to fight it for as long as you can, Agravaine. I promise Carl will be here soon with a cure." She hoped. He nodded against her legs silently and only relaxed a little more against her. Sophia smiled and leaned down, kissing his temple. "I don't need to lose you, knight."

"Take more than this to lose me, been through worse over my years," he joked back weakly and groaned a little. Sophia knew he was tired and that fighting whatever was inside him was a losing battle.

Looking around, she saw the shackles on the walls. Moving, she helped him to his knees and then feet. "Come, you're losing because you're exhausted. If I can keep you shackled-"

"Don't shackle me again," he said, trying to move in the opposite direction.

Sophia stopped him, placing her hands on either side of his face and smiling softly at him. "It is to save you, Agravaine. If you get loose, they won't hesitate to kill you," she explained. He hung his head a little before sighing heavily. "I promise the moment you're better I'll let you free."

When she had him shackled, she made to leave. "Wait, Sophia." She glanced over her shoulder at him. "Stay. Please." Stepping in close to him, Sophia smiled at him as he looked down at her.

Leaning up a little to him, she kissed his lips gently and felt him smile weakly against her. "Don't turn please."

Moving over to the bed, Sophia eased herself down onto it and sat against the wall it right ran alongside. A hoarse chuckle made her look over at Agravaine after a few moments of silence. "It is truly incredible. Such affection for the one who hunts what he is to be become and especially when he knows so little of you. Unconditionally."

"How is it that you know so much of me?" she snapped back at the thing, unnerved by the silver eyes staring back at her.

The shackles tightened suddenly as he tried to break himself free. "Sophia, poor little Sophia. Didn't you know whoever is turned is passed on the memories of their maker and his maker and so on. Thousand of years of history in my mind, it is enlightening at the foolishness of men over those thousand of years and what they have repeated in that time."

"I want to speak to Agravaine," she replied getting up from the bed.

He chuckled. "If you wish, though I do not see why you would want to speak to him, all he can do is look at you with longing he has never known for another."

Sophia sneered and saw the silver eyes become dark again. "There is my Agravaine," she remarked, smiling at him and see him embarrassingly look away from her.

"What did I say?"

"You can't remember?" she inquired.

He shook his head, still not looking at her.

"Better left unknown to you," she whispered as she stood up and walked over to him. "Are you cold?" Agravaine looked at her as she ran her hand up his arm and neck.

"Little one," he murmured just before Sophia kissed him. As best as he could, Agravaine returned the kiss despite his uncomfortable position being shackled to the wall. She looped an arm round his neck, as he groaned softly against her.

After a moment or so, she pulled back and was glad as the door opened just as Agravaine made to speak. He looked up and saw Arthur come in with Carl close behind him. The commander looked over his knight. "How on earth did you end up on the wall?" he inquired, looking at Sophia who had her fingers entangled with Agravaine's.

"He broke the shackle near the bed when I came in," she said, half lying.

The other knights were behind them. "His side, the scratches are gone."

"One of the many miraculous things about being an immortal. Your healing factor is phenomenal," Carl remarked as he walked over to Sophia and Agravaine. Seeing the knights wary gaze, he glanced at Sophia and nodded. "If you wish, Sophia can do this. I am not very comfortable with field work."

Sophia shook her head. "You never have been."

The small woman took hold of the bowl of liquid from the man who bowed a little. "Be careful, Sophia."

She felt a hand on her shoulder and glanced round at Tristan. "We're here." Biting her lower lip, she looked at Agravaine who just nodded slowly at her.

"Now or never little one."


	19. Chapter 19

**Enjoy ladies I was surprised with the reviews I got in such a short amount of time. You are the best, glad you are enjoying it.**

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**Chapter XIX**

After a few moments, and half of the contents of the bowl gone, Sophia and the others all watched as Agravaine stayed unmoving, his eyes locked on Sophia before a large smirk came to his face and he spat the liquid to the ground.

"Vile stuff there little one!" he commented and chuckled. She sighed heavily, her shoulders dropping. They'd have to force it down his throat. "Wouldn't you prefer to know what I know?" Carl told Sophia to ignore him. "Keep your lips sealed, friar, or I'll sew them shut when I get out of these shackles! Helping the runt of the litter of those stupid gypsies when you could've been helping us."

"You hold your maker's memories, Zachariah's memories and those of his maker and back but you will not be let free into this world!" Carl shouted back, moving to hit Agravaine only to have Tristan step between them and push the smaller man back, scowling.

"Lay a hand on him and friend or not of Sophia, I'll kill you," he threatened.

Sophia watched them argue with one another before Carl finally gave up and moved back. She decided that there was only one way in order for Agravaine to take the cure and she was going to have to it in front of all the others. She looked at the stuff it was deep green and smelt of vomit; no wonder the werewolf had spat it out.

"You want to know why you are unaffected by our attacks?" he queried, raising an eyebrow at her, smirking as he leaned forward and Sophia questioned how humanly possibly it was to stay in the position he was in. "You want to know why they'd rather you dead? Your own brother and sister. Well- It is all up here." He motioned to his head and chuckled cruelly.

"Alright, I am listening," she replied, folding her arms across her chest.

"That is not how it works. You want answers; you set me free and then-"

She smiled and shook her head. "I am not foolish. I promised Agravaine I would let him free only once he was rid of you. I am keeping that promise."

He struggled against the shackles and Sophia took a step back. "Little one, if you don't let me go I'll make sure you scream for death!" he growled. Sophia glanced at Arthur who was watching her, his face grim.

Pulling a face at the liquid in the bowl, she glanced at Agravaine whose now silver eyes flashed dangerously at her. "I want to speak to Agravaine."

The silver eyes flickered between light and dark, leaving Sophia wondering just how strong the things hold on Agravaine was. "You- I-" He let out a large gasp suddenly and without warning brown eyes looked around in a daze. Sophia asked Agravaine if he trusted her.

A nod was the only reply she got and Carl stepped forward when she suddenly poured the rest of the liquid into her own mouth.

Stepping in close, she found his mouth and kissed him. He returned the kiss with as much force as his body could muster. The liquid finally going down but his teeth sunk into her lower lip as she pulled back, drawing blood from her. Sophia held the lapel of her coat over her lip to try and stop the bleeding. Agravaine licked his lips and groaned a little as the liquid slid down into his belly. It left a heavy feeling in him but when he regained his bearings and took in the group around him, most prominently Sophia and Tristan of the lot, Agravaine smiled sleepily letting out a large breath of relief. "Is someone going to let me down so I can get something to eat and some sleep?"

Laughter followed his words as Tristan and Arthur freed him and helped him out and down the hall to another room. Carl grabbed hold of Sophia's arm when she made to follow the last of them. "Sophia?"

"We can talk in the morning," she told him, "please Carl, it has been a long few days and I am exhausted."

"What is Agravaine to you?" he pressed. "You kissed him. You care for him. Only a few days after meeting him?"

She nodded silently. "I do. Carl I promise you that we can talk for as long as we need in the morning," she answered. He smiled and pulled her head towards him, kissing her forehead affectionately.

They followed after the knights and Sophia smiled at the tiny little fox which Galahad produced suddenly from a pocket hidden in his tunic. Taking him, Sophia moved to sit on the blankets and fur pile that was the makeshift bed for the group for the night. "Sophia, you have rooms ready," Carl announced when Agravaine finally had finished eating and was sitting beside her, still only clad in his breeches and watching her out of the corner of his eye.

Looking down, she shook her head. "I am staying in here."

"Amongst all of them?" he inquired of her. She nodded and wrapped her arm around Galahad's neck from where he sat on the opposite side of her to Agravaine. Despite not understanding his friend at the present time, he sighed heavily and nodded. "If you need anything you can find me behind the door on the left at the end of this hall."

"Thank you friar," Arthur said from where he sat in a chair near the fireplace as though he was a father watching over his playful children.

"Its Carl, never liked formalities between friends of which I know we shall become," Carl told Arthur and the older man nodded in reply before Carl shut the door in his wake.

* * *

Sophia was laying between Galahad and Agravaine. She was being kept awake by the knights and their rather loud snoring. Groaned lightly, she sat up and crawled from the pile of furs and men, making her way out the door on tippy toe so as not to wake up Tristan. "Where do you think you're going?" She gasped and spun round as the door shutting silenced all the loud snores and occasional incoherent mumble.

Tristan was sitting in one of the window frames, petting his bird and bouncing his outstretched leg to which Sophia noticed was the current resting place of her pet. "Their snores were keeping me awake," she answered. He chuckled.

She bent down and scratched her little companion affectionately. "What have you decided to call him?"

"I never thought about it. I could always just call him fox but that sounds like I put no effort into it," she replied and he glanced at her before letting his bird go and reaching down to pick up the small red ball of fluff.

"Call him Loop. After all you found him while hunting a werewolf and they have also been coined in legends as being referred to as Lupine. Give him a name signifying the way in which you first found him," Tristan told her as he stood up, the fox tucked in close to his chest.

"Loop it shall be. What is your birds name?" Sophia was curious about the scout because he seemed quite protective of those he cared for, even though he did not necessarily show it openly.

"Her name is Iseult," he answered looking after where the bird had flown.

"Why Iseult?" she pressed.

He sighed heavily. "Because she saved me when I was first made a knight and lay dying on a beach after a Woad ambush. Isolde. The bird was also injured and found by her. Isolde likened me to the bird and how I was like a caged animal," he explained and Sophia didn't fail to realize the sadness in the normally placid knight's eyes. "And I know you are going to ask it so I will spar you any great detail here when I tell you that Isolde was a lover to me and one of the few women I have cared for in this world, she however was duty bound and was sent to Rome not long after I was better and returned to my brothers. She married a senator there and I was left with nothing more than memories and my pet who has refused to leave my side since that time."

Sophia smiled and looked at the ground. "You might meet her again one day."

"Sophia- Isolde and I were lovers, but that was all. I am not deserving of a wife. I would rather just my memories," he stated simply and after telling her Loop would be in safe hands, bid her goodnight and walked back into the room of snoring men.

Sighing, Sophia turned and headed down the hallways and corridors until she eventually came to a small indoor garden. The roof of this part of the monastery was missing, letting the moon and stars light the small space and she crouched down, running her fingers over a dying white rose. Yesterday she hadn't even believed herself that The Order would be here and now she didn't know what to think. They were here as was Carl and her brother and sister were still out there somewhere. She could stay in the monastery with Carl but that would mean leaving the knights and she didn't quite feel up to doing that not after everything they'd done for her and how she felt.

"Arthur would not expect you to stay, now that you have found someone you know." Spinning round as she stood up, Sophia nearly fell over only strong hands caught her, steadying her. "Easy little one."

"'Agravaine, you should be asleep," she told him pointedly.

He chuckled and shook his head. "I was. Until the warmth at my side disappeared and Galahad kicked me in his sleep," he replied and smiled as she blushed. "I wondered where you were going when I saw you sneaking out the door."

"Just for a walk," she answered and looked down at where his hands held her fast by the waist. "The snores of men are not an enjoyable lullaby for a woman when she wishes to sleep."

Agravaine grinned and stepped in closer, turning a little as Sophia grabbed his arms to brace herself when she nearly lost her footing for the second time in under ten minutes. She felt clumsier than ever before and she couldn't understand why. "Sophia, thank you."

She looked up at him and raised an eyebrow. "You're welcome. I'm glad you're back to normal."

He smiled and leaned down, bumping his forehead against hers in a gesture that Sophia would have classed as affection. "Sorry for biting your lip, that wasn't entirely me," he remarked and Sophia shut her eyes as he tightened his grip round her waist. "Can I-"

"Agravaine-" she started. He stopped her by covering her mouth with his in a soft and quick kiss. When he pulled back, Sophia smiled, glancing to see if anyone was coming to them before sliding her arms around his neck and tugging him down into another kiss. Agravaine stepped forward, forcing Sophia back into the wall, off the small stone path and onto the dirt of the garden, their bare feet sinking into the soft cool dirt. His hands slid up her sides, now stripped of her corset from much earlier, and lifted her up the wall with surprising ease just before someone cleared their throat.

The pair pulled apart to find Silvanus standing before them, his hands folded behind him and a stern look on his face. Sophia ducked her head, blushing heavily as Agravaine scowled at the father.

Unlike Sophia he held no faith in Rome's God and he was not particularly fond of many of those who did. He was Pagan. He didn't believe in only one holy deity. He believed in a mother goddess and her children. He believed in what he could touch, smell, taste and hear. Even as a child he had.

"I believe Lady, that Carl had rooms prepared for you. I think, given the present scenario, it would be wise for you to go and stay in them and not sleep among men," Silvanus told Sophia who glanced up at Agravaine a little. He wasn't looking at her.

"Sophia," he growled out. "She has a name. Use it when you address her." Strong arms tightened around her and she wondered if a lingering side of the wolf was still in him. He was acting very different as to what Agravaine normally did. Maybe it was just a side effect. Either way she did not mind. In fact, she liked that he had come and found her though she did find it odd; his first words to her. How had he known what she was thinking?

Silvanus did not seem phased by Agravaine until the knight stepped toward him. Sophia watched as his muscles tensed and his hand clenched into a fist. He was angry. "Thank you father, but I feel much safer among them than I do in a room on my own."

"It would be in the best interest of respecting your faith Sophia to take the rooms," he replied, clearing not happy with her response.

Agravaine took another step forward and Sophia took hold of his forearm. "Sophia's _faith_?" Agravaine asked. "Or her virtue? If you're worried about such things happening among these walls, you do not have to. I may hate your God but my commander taught me respect for not only faith and religion but also women."

Silvanus looked at the knight in clear shock. "I never!"

"You don't have to!" he snapped back. "Your face tells it all." Agravaine smirked before stepping past the father. "What did you fear more father; what I was to become or what I am?" Sophia looked at the father, noticing the way he moved back from Agravaine. He was afraid of him. Agravaine's appearance probably had a great role to play in why the father feared him and Sophia didn't feel one bit sorry for Silvanus.

"Sophia?" the father questioned.

"Come on Sophia," Agravaine said, holding his hand out to her as he watched them. Moving forward, she took hold of Agravaine's hand and allowed him to lead her down the hallways and corridors. "If that gets you into any trouble-"

"Do not worry Agravaine, I don't always share the opinions of my faith," she mused and saw him grin a little.

He stopped suddenly and eased her back into the door that lead to their bed for the rest of the night. "Oh really?" he inquired, tucking her hair back behind her ears. She nodded a little, her eyes watching his face intently. He chuckled softly and Sophia found his smile, despite everything else, to be genuine whenever he gave her one. "I think we should get some sleep, knowing our luck, the moment we return to the wall, Arthur will have another mission crossing his desk."

Sophia nodded again and as she made to step inside when he opened the door, Agravaine caught her hand and pulled her slowly back toward him, kiss her knuckles before leaning in further and kissing her lips gently. "Goodnight little one," he murmured against her before letting her go inside, not missing that she was blushing heavily.

When he shut the door and returned to his place on the makeshift pile of furs and rugs, Agravaine felt her hand grip his own and smiled into the dark, tightening his grip on the small fingers before they were gone.


	20. Chapter 20

**Enjoy ladies I was surprised with the reviews I got in such a short amount of time. You are the best, glad you are enjoying it.**

_Check out videos for this story on my new YouTube channel: FanfictionUnlimited._

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**Chapter XX**

Lancelot was the first to wake up the next morning. Despite he knew there was no danger in the monastery, he hooked his dagger to his belt and headed out of the room. He was careful as he went exploring and when he came to a room where a white marble statue was erected with numerous candles placed around the base of the figure. It was of a woman and he glanced at it, noticing how the eyes were downcast and the hands folded in prayer as though she was worried greatly about something. He reached out and ran his fingers over the cold marble of her cheek before he sensed someone behind him.

Turning he found a young boy. He couldn't have been more than sixteen and as Lancelot asked him what he wanted, he noticed the way the boy kept his eyes down. "Well?" he inquired, a little harsher than he intended.

The boy flinched a little and glanced up at him for a second. "You're a Sarmatian knight?" Lancelot nodded in reply and folded his arms across his chest, watching the boy curiously. "I wanted to be a soldier because of you knights. To please my father but he put me here three years ago after I told him that."

Lancelot was a little taken back at the boys confession to him. Sighing, he dropped his arms to his sides and told him to look up at him, adding he wasn't that scary. "Don't go seeking to put blood on your hands. This life- while probably quite uneventful- is better than the life of a soldier," he said. "I am here because I was forced, not because I chose it."

The boy made to argue only a hand came to his shoulder. "You should go and get breakfast boy," Sophia said, smiling at him.

Lancelot looked at her, wondering just how much of that she had heard.

* * *

Sophia felt something kick her leg and frowned a little, pushing the other body away to avoid another kick and rolled over. A warm body came into her way and Sophia lifted her head up, rubbing her eyes and finding Agravaine laying on his stomach beside her. His eyes were shut and his deep breathing told her he was still asleep. Smiling at how peaceful he looked while he was sleeping she reached out and tucked his hair back behind his ear, grinning as he shifted a little and reached up to scratch the stubble on his jaw before settling again.

Getting up and noticing one particular knight missing she headed out of the room, wondering where he had gotten to considering he had voiced how much he disliked the place yesterday. Her searching did not take long, thankfully.

"Well?" That was Lancelot's voice. Staying back out of sight, she poked her head round the corner and spied Lancelot and one of the young boys in training.

Sophia knew that the knights being here would draw the attention of the younger boys. It was not entirely a smart idea for someone like Lancelot to talk to them due to his background and how rude he could be at times.

"You're a Sarmatian knight? I wanted to be a soldier because of you knights. To please my father but he put me here three years ago after I told him that."

She felt for the poor boy. Clearly he didn't want the path that had been chosen for him. Sophia wondered what Lancelot was going to say to him. "Don't go seeking to put blood on your hands. This life- while probably quite uneventful- is better than the life of a soldier. I am here because I was forced, not because I chose it."

Smiling softly at the answer he gave the boy and how un-Lancelot like it seemed Sophia had just discovered that Lancelot was all bad. Stepping round the corner, she placed her hand on the boys shoulder, knowing he didn't need to speak with Lancelot anymore than what he had. "You should go and get breakfast boy," she said, smiling as he nodded and quickly hurried off.

Sophia glanced at Lancelot and noticed him watching her. She smiled and folded her arms across her chest as he raised an eyebrow at her. "How much of that did you hear?" he asked.

Pointing at the statue, she moved round him and closer to it. "Mary of Nazareth, Jesus' mother," she remarked and then looked at him as she traced the face before crouching down and lighting one of the candles which was not lit.

"Sophia?"

"All of it Lancelot. You did a good thing, telling him that," she told him and saw him smile a little before he held his hand out to her.

"He may not know it yet, but him being here is better than dying in a battle that is of little importance," he said as she took his hand and let him pull her back up to her feet. Reaching up, he traced her cheek softly his fingers following the same path they had on the statue earlier only this time he felt warm flesh. "You don't share the opinions of your religion?"

Sophia took hold of his hand and pulled it away from her cheek and then looked at the ground. "No. I have always questioned how God could be real."

"Why?"

"Because-" she started in a whisper, "if God is perfect and he made people in his image, why do we have imperfections like we do?" He titled his head to the side and asked her what she meant. "War, rape, torture, hate, sickness... Fear. We have all these imperfections in us or in our actions. That is why I do not hold faith in God as much as say... Carl or the father."

"So why wear a cross? Why say you do?"

"My faith is different. I believe in some of the things but not all. I don't believe in forcing another to believe in what I do. My faith gives me strength when I feel like I have nothing left. Hope."

Lancelot smiled a little at her. "You and Arthur are so similar and yet different in how you view your religion. It is quite extraordinary." She grinned a little at him and lifted up one shoulder. "Why'd you kiss Agravaine last night?"

Sophia was a little taken back. "Excuse me?"

"When you tried to get him to take that stuff, you kissed him, I was wondering why," he explained and Sophia looked down.

"Well- The thing- Werewolf, would've spat it back out if I had tried again normally. It helped Agravaine, can you not be thankful for that instead of questioning me on why I did such a thing?"

Lancelot raised an eyebrow at her quick defensive turn and nodded after a moment. "Very well. I was thankful you saved him. He and I don't always agree but we've lost enough of our brothers on this island already that we wished we hadn't. I'm thankful you're a woman otherwise I do not think that it would have worked as you had planned."

She saw the smirk cross his face and pulled a face at him. "I'm going to go and get my stuff ready before breakfast," she told him and turned, heading back to the room they'd been sleeping in. She did not fail to feel Lancelot watching her as she walked off before she disappeared round the corner.

* * *

The others were awake when Sophia returned with Lancelot close behind her and Agravaine was redressing fully when Sophia found her corset on one of the chairs. She got Galahad's help to do it up only because she was hungry and didn't want to struggle with the thing for twenty minutes as she usually did.

Tucking Loop into the outside pocket of her coat, she scratched his head before following Arthur out of the room, the others in tow. Carl managed to fall into step beside her and gave her a look. "What?" she asked, noticing it.

"I said we had to talk."

Rolling her eyes, she nodded. "Can I eat first, otherwise I'll bite your head off no matter what you say?"

Carl gave her a look but she just waved him off, knowing he was being a pain just because he didn't understand what the past few days had entailed for not only herself but also the group of knights.

As she sat down on one of the long benches she found Agravaine sliding in beside her and Carl sitting opposite them. Tristan sat on her other side and she smiled at him.

"Sophia, are you going to stay here with me and we can work on finding your brother and sister?" Carl asked halfway through breakfast and Sophia stopped eating, her eyes on her plate before she looked across at her friend from beneath her lashes. The whole table went silent. The look on his face told her that he wanted only one particular answer.

"No."

"No?" he repeated her answer.

She nodded. "I have more chance of finding them if I am at Badon fort."

"But... But..."

"Carl, you can come to the fort too," she remarked giving him a look. He pulled a face at her. "Look- I am not staying in the monastery. End of story." Sophia refused to argue with him about it. The knights had done so much for her and she didn't wish to leave their company if it was possible.

Carl sighed and nodded mutely before going back to eating. "Carl?" Sophia glanced at Agravaine as did a few others.

"Yes?" he asked, looking at the knight who seemed a little odd this morning. He had not actually spoken to Sophia and she was somewhat confused.

"When werewolves turn others, they pass their memories on, don't they?"

Carl raised an eyebrow and nodded. "They do. But you're no longer turning, you should not have anything left of the Lupine in you, you shouldn't remember anything. Right?"

Agravaine looked at his plate and Carl told him to speak before he had him chained back in that room. "I feel different. I have nightmares when I sleep, I have for years, but last night- I didn't. I think I was seeing memories from those who were turned instead."

"What did you see?" Sophia inquired. "You would have the man's memories, Zachariah's and further back."

"Yes, good question, it might help us to understand some things if this is true," Carl confirmed, nodding and noticing Agravaine looking a little uncomfortable suddenly.

Sophia noticed the way he was clenching his plate and touched his arm, looking over at Carl. "We can do it after breakfast and in a quiet place," she told him. The friar reluctantly agreed.

As everyone went back to eating Arthur noticed Agravaine grabbed Sophia's hand before she could pull away and squeeze it a little before letting it go. He smiled knowingly and shook his head before returning to his conversation with Gawain and Lancelot.


	21. Chapter 21

**So I have decided to twist some things up here and incorporate some things I originally hadn't planned on putting in. Hehe. It'll all make sense later on. Much later on. **

**Hope you like. I'd love to know what some of you think so far too. **

_Check out videos for this story on my new YouTube channel: FanfictionUnlimited._

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**Chapter XXI**

After breakfast, the entire group despite Carl's protests, had followed he and Agravaine into a small library and into a corner where a fire was burning. Sophia lifted herself up onto the bench of the desk. Galahad and Gawain joined her as Arthur curiously looked over some of the scrolls stacked on the shelves beside them. Dagonet eased himself down beneath Gawain's feet as Bors, Lancelot and Tristan stood round the small area. Carl pushed Agravaine down into the large chair beside the fire and saw him glower in return.

"Stay."

"He is not a pet, Carl," Sophia told the friar who looked to enjoy treating the knight as though he still had the wolf inside him. Agravaine didn't appear to be comfortable even with all the eyes on him being his brothers, Sophia and Carl.

Carl shot Sophia a look and she respond with a sneer. "May we start so we are not here all day?"

Agravaine just told him to hurry up and that if Carl hurt him, friar or not, he'd get him for it. Carl said he wasn't going to touch him which amused the others who were watching the pair.

After a few moments or so, Carl told the knight to close his eyes and just take deep breaths. Doing as he was told, Sophia watched Agravaine curiously. "Before we try this, I need you to get into your mind a memory you feel comfortable with going back to. It can be anything, your home-"

"I have it," Agravaine grumbled back and from the small smile in the corner of his mouth, Sophia could tell it was a pleasant memory alright. She wondered if he had picked a memory from the past few days, like for instance; kissing her.

"Good. Now you need to keep that memory there," Carl instructed before turning to Sophia and motioning her forward.

"Why?" she inquired, moving to stand at his side.

"He trusts your voice. You know how to make people do a dream track, just take it slow on him," he told her, moving back as Agravaine raised an eyebrow, his eyes still closed.

Swallowing thickly, Sophia folded her arms and let out a sigh. "Agravaine, can you tell me the first thing you saw when you were dreaming?" He nodded. "What was it?"

"You." There was a deafening silence before he spoke again and the air was thick as Sophia tried hard not to get embarrassed over that one word. "Or a child who resembles you, I think. Its like I am standing in place of the person who the memory belongs to... I can feel what they were feeling."

"Describe the little girl to me," she said, curious now.

"Smaller than the person I am seeing through, dark hair, pale. She's crying," he said. Sophia looked down. "This person is in pain. Like they've lost someone. There is a grave, a lot of people around and another little girl beside me. She looks older than the first and almost identical to her, but with shorter hair."

Sophia turned to look at Carl and Arthur caught the sight of tears. "Sophia?" She wiped her eyes quickly. "He... He's seeing Zach's memories. Its my mothers funeral."

Carl put a hand on her shoulder and looked as if he wanted to hug her but stopped himself. "Keep him going, I am going to look for somethings in here." He walked off and she slowly nodded.

"Agravaine, is there a man beside the first little girl?"

"Yes, he's holding her hand." She seemed even less composed at that. "Your father? He was tall."

She laughed a little. "Your in the memories of my brother, he wouldn't be more than ten-"

"A woman is handing you a necklace."

"What?" Sophia asked, reaching to her neck as though what he was speaking of had once been there and now no longer was. "A necklace? Can you see it?"

Agravaine frowned a little and shifted, almost as though he was actually trying to move around in the memory only it wasn't working. "A little." Stepping toward him, she put a hand on his shoulder.

"Don't move Agravaine," she said. "What can you see of the necklace?"

"Its a strange material. It almost looks like white gold." Sophia confirmed it was. "It looks like an angel. The same design is on the gravestone."

"My mother's necklace. It was a fallen angel, protection of sorts she called it once. My father put it on her gravestone to protect her in heaven," Sophia explained and noticed Agravaine frown a little. "What is it?"

He shook his head a little before he clutched at it, and groaned. "Agravaine?" Tristan took a step forward and grabbed Sophia back to him as Agravaine knocked over the chair as he fell forward to his knees.

Sophia stared wide eyed at him and wondered what was happening. Almost as soon as it had affected him it was gone and Sophia slowly knelt down, putting her hand on his cheek asking him if he was okay. A quick nod was her only reply to the question. "The memories have changed... I'm somewhere... I don't know... I think..."

"Describe it boy?" the father ordered, startling a few of them since they hadn't noticed him appear more concerned with Agravaine than on who was coming in unannounced.

Sophia glanced at the father and then shook her head. "We can stop, Agravaine," she said softly.

"Its night. There are torches... men in armor... a woman is there... bodies are everywhere," he stammered out. Sophia told him to stop and just block out the memories for now. Carl came shuffling back towards them and shooed Galahad and Gawain off the desk as he dropped an armful of scrolls and books onto it. Tristan helped Sophia move Agravaine back into the chair he'd originally been sitting in and she smiled at him gently as he looked at her. Tristan gave them both a look before shaking his head, the hint of a smile on his face as her fingers traced his jaw lightly before pulling away.

No one else was concerned with them and Agravaine did something very out of character, he groped her. She startled a little and looked over her shoulder at him as she walked towards the others, rubbing her rear where he had grabbed her and noticed him eying her. He was more like an animal in heat since last night. Fighting the blush about to raise on her cheeks, Sophia stopped beside Carl. "So?"

"I need to speak with Agravaine for a moment," he said. No one moved at that and he looked up to find every single man and Sophia had their eyes on him as if to say that whatever it was could be said in front of them. "Alone."

The father nodded and left. Arthur said they would be right outside and followed the others out the door. Tristan took hold of Sophia's arm and led her out. She turned only to end up nearly having a door slammed in her face. Pulling a face she turned to look at the group of knights who were all relaxing back against the walls.

* * *

Agravaine sat in the chair, arms folded over his chest as he watched Carl read some things quickly and talk to himself before the friar finally approached him. "Agravaine, you and your brothers in arms are not believers in god, are you?"

"Arthur is the only who believes in Rome's god. We are Pagan."

Carl nodded. "So if I was to ask you if you knew what a fallen and arch angel meant, you would not know?" Agravaine nodded and Carl pursed his lips, taking up a seat in front of the knight who just regarded him silently.

"A fallen is an angel who has well... fallen from grace and been exiled. Typically in context they are devils but there is, among some of the texts still surviving in this time, some whose fall does not result in such a fate. Sophia, I believe, is one such," he began and Agravaine gave him an incredulous look.

"Sophia is an angel?" he asked.

"Not physically but her soul is that of an angels. They chose her body to serve them when they came to earth," Carl explained rather quickly.

"And why are you telling me this? Sophia should know."

"You're Pagan but I think that you may be a fallen, or an arch angel." Laughter followed his words and Agravaine stood up.

"Far-fetched, very well thought out story friar," he said, and walked to the window.

"No mortal being is free from being turned into a werewolf in the way Sophia was. You did not find it odd yourself?" Carl remarked which caused Agravaine to stop in his tracks. "I have been here for nearly six months Agravaine. Sophia has only been awake for a few days. I have no idea what happened to her in the time that we were separated."

"So why do you think I'm one of these angels?" he asked gruffly.

"You are-" he stopped for a moment. "Agravaine, you're a warrior-"

The door opened suddenly and Carl stopped as Sophia stuck her head in. "You finished yet? Arthur and the others want to go back to the wall."

Agravaine spoke before Carl could. "Yes we are." As he walked by the friar, Agravaine leaned down to him slightly. "Try and come up with a more realistic answer and I might actually believe you even the slightest bit."

* * *

Carl was coming back to the wall with them. Along with a wagon load of scrolls and documents. Sophia watched with mixture of oddity and annoyance on her face as the monks filled the wagon up.

An arm slipped round her waist and lips came an inch shy of her ear. "Mm, wonder if I went and got myself scratched by a werewolf would I get a nice big kiss from you like Aggy boy did?"

Sophia pushed Lancelot's head away from her. "Dear Lancelot, I would gladly cut off your head before kissing you to get you to take medicine."

Bors howled with laughter near them as Lancelot grumpily held her fast by the waist. "Aw, come on little one, I am a good kisser," he remarked before puckering up his lips.

She smiled a little at his cheekiness before smacking him across the cheek. "If I kiss you, I might catch something and I'd rather not," she told him as he pouted at her, finally letting her go as Arthur told them to mount up.

* * *

That night the camp was quiet, or at least they were trying to be. Carl however had a different opinion on the meaning of silence and was talking non-stop to not just Arthur but Sophia who every five seconds or so rolled her eyes.

She finally got up in a huff and walked off. Lancelot watched her go past him and gripped her wrist, standing up as she glanced at him. "Shouldn't wander off on your own," he remarked, letting go of her wrist before following after her.

They walked in silence, actually not minding the company of each other. Sophia stole a glance at him and noticed the way he was more concerned with the surroundings than he actually was with her. "Lancelot, why are you like you are?"

He looked at her for a moment before lifting a shoulder. "Like what?"

"Well- ah, never mind, I don't think I want to probe into your head," she said.

Lancelot chuckled just before he backed her up against a tree, his arms blocking her from escaping. "Well, you're welcome to probe all you like. I actually wouldn't mind a hands-on approach to that," he teased, smirking roguishly at her, leaning his head in close to hers.

He made to kiss her but Sophia put her hand up against his mouth and grinned a little at him. "Of course you wouldn't," she told him and laughed a little. "I'm not a normal woman, least not the kind you deal with regularly. Besides while I find you extremely attractive Lancelot-" His response was a slight hum in his throat as he stared at her lips. "I think you're too much of a child to ever have a real relationship with."

Lancelot looked at her for a moment before laughing and leaning his frame more closely into hers, making Sophia bit her lip a little. "Well you could always join me in a nice roll in the hay and never have to worry about a real relationship with me," he suggested and Sophia gaped at him just before he kissed her roughly, his lips bruising hers.

He was gone after that, his retreating back telling her to follow him back or be lost out here. Pushing herself away from the tree, Sophia did follow him, but kept behind, silently cursing herself for falling into his trap- again.

* * *

When they reached the fort, Bors disappeared to the tavern along with Galahad, Gawain and Lancelot while Tristan headed for his rooms and Arthur did the same. Carl was given a room near Sophia's and was already heading there with an armful of scrolls. Agravaine hadn't spoken to her since the yesterday morning and she wondered what Carl had said to him.

Just as she made to follow him, Carl called her over to help cart his things to his room and she reluctantly did as asked.

When they were finished about an hour later, Sophia and Carl watched the stable boys run out the door with silver coins in their hands eager to spend it. She smiled and then turned to face her friend.

"I want you to sit with Agravaine of a night, for an hour or so and try to delve into the memories he can see some more." Sophia nodded. "But only an hour, no more."


	22. Chapter 22

**Well, let me know what you all think. I really would love to know. I promise that things will move a little quicker but this isn't a short story and well... hope you like.**

_Check out videos for this story on my new YouTube channel: FanfictionUnlimited._

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**Chapter XXII**

Sophia had found that the rest of the day had been pretty uneventful. She had finally made it back to her room and had managed to find a make-shift collar for Loop who, when Sophia attempted to leave, whined and yapped on the other side of the door, scratching at it. Telling him she'd be back soon enough and with some treats, she left him to his crying, hoping that he would crawl onto the blanket she'd put down for him and sleep.

The knights had surprisingly not jumped into her path today and she wondered where most of them were. Heading for the tavern, she was surprised to find them there. And they were all there, from Agravaine to Tristan. The only one missing was Arthur. As she walked past the table, pretending that she hadn't noticed them in hopes to just speak with Vanora and help her out again, she hadn't expected to be tugged into Lancelot's lap. He smirked at her as she rolled her eyes, putting her hand in his face to stop him from trying to kiss her cheek. She really did not need to be sitting on Lancelot's lap when Agravaine was only a seat or two away and playing with a dagger. She knew that he had seen them but brushed it off, she guessed Lancelot was use to just grabbing women as they walked by.

"Let me go," she said sternly.

He chuckled and only wrapped his other arm about her. "Why? I like you sitting on my lap," he replied back, teasingly.

Sophia shook her head at him and pulled herself out of his grip and headed for where Vanora was wiping down the bar counter. "Let me do that," she stated, taking the cloth from Vanora and proceeding to wipe down the counter as the woman patted her on the back.

"Ah ye are a good one lass, wish my girls would be as efficient as you at their actual jobs instead of flirting with the customers," she remarked and Sophia smiled a little being noticing how the older woman hunched over a little suddenly and groaned. Just as she made to ask if Vanora was alright, the woman's water broke. "Perfect timing little bugger this one is!"

"You- You're in- labor?" Sophia stammered out, eyes wide.

Vanora gave a half-laugh and nodded. "It would seem like it. Be a lass and get Bors for me."

Sophia nodded quickly and rushed over to the table. All the men looked up at her as she leaned down to Bors' ear for a moment. The mans face drained of all colour suddenly before he stood up, nearly knocking Galahad, Gawain, Lancelot and Lancelot's lap companion off the bench they were all sitting on. He rushed to Vanora and Dagonet got up slowly following, seeming to know exactly what was going on. "I'm guessing the bub has decided to grace us with his presence and put an end to Vanora's wild pregnancy moods?"

Smiling at Gawain, she nodded and before she knew it they were all following Vanora, Bors and Dagonet away from the tavern. Agravaine grabbed her arm as he passed by her and pulled her along with him. "I really don't think I should be there," she told him, trying to pull free.

He chuckled. "You don't want to miss Vanora screaming at a frantic Bors," he remarked and Sophia gave him a funny look as Tristan laughed a little as he dodged a few of the numbers who were playing with swords out the front of Vanora's house.

* * *

Sophia and the rest of the knights stood in the main room of Vanora's house, the bedroom door was shut but the screams behind it left nothing to the imagination. It actually seemed to be entertaining the knights who had sent one of the children playing outside to get Arthur. She wished she hadn't been brought along to this, she felt out of place and listening to Vanora screaming at Bors every so often had her on edge. Childbirth was not something she was at ease with. Standing in the corner, she looked at the knights to see if any of them were watching her and smiled when realizing they weren't.

Moving for the door, she managed to duck outside and get half way to her room before Arthur caught her as he was heading towards the event that was currently happening. "Sophia, why aren't you with the others?" he inquired.

She ducked her head and lifted her shoulder up in response. "Well I- I'm not comfortable with childbirth."

He chuckled and asked her why.

It was stupid when she thought about it. "I'm afraid of it. I love seeing women pregnant and I love children but giving birth seems like a very painful and risky thing. I couldn't do anything if there was a problem anyway so I thought I might just let them alone, I don't want to impose."

Arthur nodded to her before wrapping an arm around her shoulder and began to steer her back in the direction of Vanora's house. "You aren't imposing at all Sophia. Believe me, it is quite entertaining though," he commented and Sophia saw him smirk. "Bors is a fierce knight but his lover in childbirth has him almost turning into a frightened deer."

Sophia found the image slightly amusing but still didn't want to get in the way and tried to get Arthur to let her go only he refused and pushed her in through the door first. Five heads turned towards them and Sophia pointed to behind her. "Found him."

"How are they doing?" Arthur inquired, sitting down beside Lancelot.

"Well from the sounds of things Bors is still alive and conscious. Might not be for much longer though," he replied, chuckling. Sophia went to hide in her corner again only someone else had taken it.

He grinned a little at her and shook his head. "Don't be hiding, that's my job," he mused quietly as she stood beside him. A second later Carl rushed through the front door and past them all and into the bedroom. Sophia covered her face with her hands as she sighed heavily. There was never going to be a moment's peace among this place for her. How did they do it? "With practiced ease, little one."

Her eyes snapped up to lock with Agravaine's and she fixed him with a stern gaze to which he actually shied at. Leaning back against the wall, she made sure to keep her voice down. "If you can pick up on my thoughts, what am I thinking now?" she asked, wanting to test out her theory as to whether he actually could or not. For a moment, Agravaine regarded her before smirking wickedly and she blushed heavily.

"Nothing that I really should say with other ears in such close range," he answered. She nodded meekly, covering her burning cheeks realizing that he had picked up on thoughts that she hadn't consciously been thinking of at that moment. "I think its just an effect of whatever happened to me- us."

Sophia looked up at him before whispering that Carl had told her she had to pry into his dreams again. Agravaine only nodded in answer and looked to the bedroom door when everything went silent for a long moment.

A baby crying suddenly pierced the heavy silence and the door opened. Carl came out along with a smiling Dagonet. "A little boy."

"See what did I tell ya, I got strong genes!" Lancelot boasted and Sophia looked at him with wide eyes as the others all laughed loudly.

"He is kidding, Sophia," Agravaine told her. "Running joke due to his ways with women and how often he tries to catch Vanora's attention." She slowly nodded and smiled as Bors appeared with his newborn son in his arms, a large and very proud grin on his face.

"Well at least he is happy," she mused quietly, folding her arms over her chest.

She could tell Agravaine was looking at her but she didn't glance round at him, preferring not to be questioned despite knowing he could very well hear her thoughts basically. "Don't exactly have a distinct advantage now, eh little one?" he teased as he brushed past her, "and if you want to play dream tracker again, my room is four down from yours and on the right side of the hall."

* * *

After seeing Vanora, Sophia decided to sneak away and feed Loop while they all celebrated the birth of number eleven as he had been dubbed. He was incredibly precious, Sophia could not deny that and his chubby little face mirrored that of his father's already.

Come nightfall the knights had reappeared back in the tavern only this time they had another guest with them. Carl had surprisingly removed his friar's robes and was now dressed in a pair of breeches, boots and a tunic to which Sophia had to admit to herself that her friend was quite attractive once dressed like a normal person and, also, with his hair cut shorter. Apparently he had been meaning to cut it for months. Gawain, Galahad and Lancelot seemed all too eager to have his company and Sophia could guess why.

"Corrupting a friar?" she inquired as she sat down beside her friend who was eying the mug of alcohol in front of him with clear curiosity. The three knights in question merely gave her innocent looks, not that they looked quite so innocent with women in their laps. Shaking her head, she pushed the mug away from Carl. "You have vows."

He grinned meekly at her in reply and just lifted up one shoulder. "You know I've never been a churchly friar." Lancelot and Gawain actually roared in laughter while Galahad got dragged into a kiss by his lap companion. Before Carl could say anything a woman suddenly fell into his lap, if fell was the right term that Sophia could use. She more or less just sat down without question and began to speak quietly with Carl, running her hands through his short hair, who seemed to be completely ensnared by her. Rolling her eyes at her friend and realizing that bringing him here had pretty much led to her part in corrupting him Sophia stood up and excused herself.

"Carl, don't do anything stupid or let them talk you into anything." The three men in question all protested loudly making her smile a little at them in turn and just shake her head. "Worry about your own damn wenches."

A chorus of curses came from the women in question and Sophia pulled a face at them. "Well... what else are you?" Silence proceeded her words and she smirked. "Exactly my point."

She headed back for the knights sleeping hall and actually found her way with little difficulty tonight. Stopping out the front of her door, she looked down at the one in question she really should not go near tonight after earlier on. Sighing heavily and knowing Carl would badger her in the morning if she said that she had not tried, Sophia let go of her door handle and headed for the door four down and on the right.

After a moment or so of hesitating, she knocked and waited hoping that Agravaine was in there. He had disappeared from the tavern earlier than she had. She was about to leave when the door opened suddenly and Sophia found Agravaine standing there, an apple in his hand as he took a bite from it. He wasn't wearing a shirt which that in itself would prove to be a very large distraction on her count at the moment as she found her eyes slipping to the lines of his muscled stomach and the indents of his hip lines that were only visible because of how low his sleeping pants sat on them. "Did I disturb you?" she inquired, wringing her hands in front of her nervously. "We can do this tomorrow."

He shook his head and pulled the apple away from his mouth. "Come in," he said, stepping aside and holding the door open a little more. Sophia stepped in and looked round. Unlike the plainness of her room, Agravaine's looked purely like it was his. His armour and weapons were on a chair in a corner, his boots hidden beneath it and she did not fail to notice the clothes tossed about or the slight disorder of the room. She moved around looking at all the things and heard him doing something while she had her back turned. Glancing over at him, she found him now covered with a sleeveless shirt and leaning against the now shut door, she grinned a little at him.

"So, its- nice," she said offhandedly.

He chuckled and pushed himself away from the door, walking over to the bed and smoothing the fur blanket back into place that covered the sheets. "I like fur better, feels like I'm back home." Seeing the far away look in his eyes, she snapped her fingers a little.

"I've never slept on furs until the other night in the monastery."

Agravaine nodded but Sophia couldn't quite place the look he sent her way. He broke out into a grin a moment later and she sneered at him. "Stop reading my thoughts."

He sat down on the edge of the bed, arms folded across his chest. "Or what? It is not like I can just turn whatever this thing is off. I don't even actually try to use it, they just suddenly come to my head like they are my own thoughts."

Sophia stuck her tongue out at him and for a moment thought of the worst imagine she could conjure up in her mind. It only took about six seconds before Agravaine cursed and started voicing out how he could turn it off. "In all honesty did I really have to see that?" he asked, shooting her a scowl.

She bounced a little on the spot, giggling and nodded. "Of course. It might incline you to discover an off switch faster to that new while handy, extremely annoying, trick," she replied and watched as he stood up and came round to the side of the room she was occupying. "We really should start Agravaine, you can sit on the bed." She lifted his armour and weapons, well tried to, however they proved to be a lot heavier than what she thought. Hands covered hers suddenly and Agravaine helped her to lift them to the ground. "They're heavier than I thought."

"It should be heavy Sophia, its meant to protect me," he said to her bluntly before moving back to the bed and collapsing onto it. "You know you don't have to sit all the way over there." He patted the bed beside him and she smiled a little. "I don't bite... well-"

Sophia turned a deep scarlet as she thought back to the other night. Agravaine looked at her and smirked. "Thinking about that too." Going even redder at having forgotten that he got her thoughts only seconds after she thought them, Sophia sat down in the chair and told him she was fine sitting where she was. "Sophia."

"Can we just try this?" she inquired.

He dropped his head back onto the bed and sighed heavily. "Fine. I don't like this by the way," he muttered.

Sophia looked at him. "I know. I am not comfortable doing this to you either, I doubt it will get us anywhere considering they are just memories but if we have recent ones it might show me where Zach is or has been," she stated. "I would've preferred Carl to do this."

"Carl is a twerp of Rome's holy order and Lancelot will corrupt him before tonight is over. I prefer you, but I still don't like it." She pulled a face and laughed a little at him calling Carl a twerp. Sophia knew Agravaine was right and of course he preferred her, she wasn't about to push him to far if he didn't want to or couldn't. Carl would've pushed him to the point where Agravaine either had a dagger to the younger man's throat or had chucked him out the door. By now she doubted Carl would even still be in this room if he had have come instead of her.

Watching as he sat up and looked down at his feet, Sophia felt bad for the knight. "I didn't have any dreams last night Sophia, no memories from them. My nightmares came back. Not that there is much difference in my opinion since I don't want either of them."

Standing up, Sophia slowly approached him when he put his head in his hands. She covered his hands with her own gently. "Its okay, we don't have to do this. Carl won't be in any shape to pester about whether we did this tonight, come morning if Lancelot and the others manage to corrupt him." He looked up at her and Sophia was a little taken back to see the look of hurt on his face.

"You know why I am like I am Sophia?" he inquired, slipping an arm round her waist slowly and pulling her closer so she stood between his legs. She shook her head. "Because I have nothing worth living to keep."

"You have Sarmatia. You have Tristan, Gawain, Galahad and the others. You live to keep your home safe and you live to keep your friends safe and alive."

He grinned a little and tightened his grip on her waist. "Sophia... I didn't mean it like that."

"Agravaine, you're confusing me."

For a moment Agravaine just sat there and Sophia was torn between pulling away or giving into her urge to kiss him. He either wanted to or had picked up on her thoughts as in a heartbeat he had straightened up from sitting on the bed and as he did, she found herself being pulled into a passionate kiss. Sophia moaned lightly in the back of her throat as Agravaine's tongue massaged her own and wrapped her arms around his neck. He tightened his other arm round her and tugged her closer to him so she fitted right up along his own body.

When Sophia broke the heated kiss, she rested her head against his chest, her hands slipping down to grab fistfuls of his shirt, loosening and tightening her grip as she tried to calm down her breathing.


	23. Chapter 23

**Your thoughts on this chapter... greatly appreciated, I want to know what you all think. I am trying to stray away from the usual OC falls for knight... as I've stated many times before, anyway I am in no way good at certain aspects of writing romance and I hope I did that side of this a little justice... Haha... Big hope. Chapters will be much longer from here on out too, hence the wait on this one.**

***not for little ones at points***

_Check out videos for this story on my new YouTube channel: FanfictionUnlimited._

* * *

**Chapter XXIII**

Agravaine rested his head against hers as she stood there, unmoving and silent. She shut her eyes, counting to ten in her head. A soft rumble came through Agravaine's chest. He was chuckling. "I doubt counting is gonna stop your heart from pounding like it is." She blushed a little and buried her head into his chest more, breathing in shakily. He pulled her back a little and made her look up at him. His dark eyes were what gave away to Sophia just exactly what he was feeling in that moment. Knowing he could catch her out if she thought anything, Sophia forced her mind to go blank and keep composed.

When she tried to avert her gaze, he refused to let her. "Agravaine, we shouldn't-"

"Lancelot?"

"What?" she asked in shock, her eyes wide.

He gave her a look of uncertainty. "You would prefer Lancelot?"

"Why no! I just-" Agravaine kissed her again, his mouth crushing over hers in a heated kiss and Sophia lost whatever inch of composure she had built up completely. Sophia wasn't about to deny how nice it felt to have Agravaine's hands running down her back like they were but unlike Carl, Sophia had other vows to not just her faith that she had to keep and if she broke one she feared the others would follow soon after.

"What vows?" he inquired against her mouth and Sophia wished she could hit herself or him in that second.

He turned them and Sophia felt the edge of the bed against the back of her knees. Agravaine broke the kiss and looked at her passively, one eyebrow arched in questioning. Sophia looked away. "Just promises I made that I should not break."

A quiet laugh came from him. "Promises and vows are made to be broken Sophia. You won't go to hell for laying with a pagan knight."

Sophia smiled a little at his choice of words. "Pagan knight, huh?" He nodded and grinned a little as her arms slipped up round his neck.

"Actually-" he began and pulled away from her suddenly. Sophia watched as he walked over to the table, between what she gathered was a closet and the door to his bathroom, and pulled the lid off a box that sat at the back of it and beside a number of daggers. She walked over and looked round his arm to see what was inside. A little taken back at the amount of necklaces he had in there, Sophia's eyes took in each one that he pulled out and placed on the table. Agravaine pulled out seven before glancing at her for a second before holding up two of the seven he had pulled out. They both were symbols that Sophia did not recognize and as she looked at them, she knew Agravaine was amused at hearing her thoughts while trying to guess what they meant. He turned and drew the first over her head, pulling her hair free of the leather strap the silver talisman was on. He picked it up gently after a second or so and smiled a little. "Sigil of Defense, its a talisman that locks a number of different protection runes into one and-" Agravaine trailed off as he held the other up for her to see for a moment before putting it on her as he had with the first one, "this one represents Venus. Even if you're not Pagan or don't believe in them, they will help."

She then noticed that he wore one round his neck, the rune she could not decipher, and that a silver bracelet held around five of the symbols on it that he was wearing on his left wrist. "Thank you," she said, looking at the two new necklaces with curiosity as she did so.

He nodded, leaning against the table a little, arms folded over his chest. "Say what you want or what Carl would, I think you'd suit being wrapped in furs like a pagan priestess use to. It'd be a picture of beauty." Sophia blushed heavily.

"You flatter a person, especially me, too much," she whispered. He chuckled and shook his head.

"I say I don't do it enough," he shot back boldly and Sophia's cheeks turned scarlet.

"I should go and let you get some rest," she said. Agravaine reached out and grabbed her wrist gently in his grip as she made to leave. He turned her back to face him and for a moment, almost seemed to lead her along in a one sided dance as he tugged her towards him, his other hand taking hold of her right wrist.

She looked up at him and he smiled a little, almost nervously. "Stay."

"Agravaine I can't," she replied, moving to step away from him.

He tightened his grip a little before slowly brushing his fingers down her hands until he was entwining their fingers together. "Not in that way little one. Just stay."

Sophia mulled it over in her head and realizing that the slight and rare twinkle in his eyes was because he knew exactly what she was thinking. With a dejected sigh, Sophia used one excuse that even he could not fault. "I am not in sleeping clothes."

In a heartbeat he lost the twinkle but as his eyes dropped to study her for a moment, he nodded his head and just grinned. Pushing himself away from the desk. "You can have one of my tunics to sleep in or... if you promise to come back you could go and get changed."

It was slightly amusing to see a more demanding side of Agravaine and also quite alluring. She quickly stopped the thought before it came into her head and told him she would change and come back.

The smile on his face was wider than she thought he would have been able to do before and Sophia shook her head at him. It was a nice look for him. He turned her towards the door and nudged her away telling her that if she didn't come back quick then he'd come looking. Realizing he meant it, Sophia quickly ducked down the hall to her room and slipped inside.

Loop bounded towards her which made her laugh. "Hey gorgeous boy," she cooed, picking him up and setting him on the bed. "You think he meant it?"

Sophia liked the idea more than she would actually let on and as she undid her corset and placed it down on the chair, she found the maids had left her clothes out, or really, a shirt. She looked at it once she had stripped off and realized that she would be extremely exposed if she wore this in bed with Agravaine, it was too short for her. Glancing at her rumpled up clothing now lying on the floor, she grabbed her pants and tugged them back on before tugging the shirt over her head. Loop whined as she made to leave again and Sophia smiled, picking him up and bringing him along with her.

Knocking on Agravaine's door, she opened it a second later and stepped inside. Agravaine was sitting on a chair by the window with his feet propped up on the sill and his arms folded across his chest. He had removed his shirt, she noticed as he glanced round at her.

"That shirt really isn't meant for sleeping in Sophia," he commented before seeming to pick up the fact she held a bundle of red fur in the crook of her arm and grinned a little.

She nodded. "I realized I didn't have anything else and the maids had left this out."

Watching him pull himself out of the chair and walk over to a set of drawers on the opposite side of the room to the closet and table, Sophia bit her lip as she took in his body. Agravaine was scarred, muscled and every bit a man. He crossed the room like he had definitely left her a little intimidated more than normal. Without his armor on she could see the way his muscles twitched as he moved and not only that but she could see each of the scars that he had accumulated over the years.

Sophia caught the overly long tunic that Agravaine tossed in her direction after he'd rummaged through a drawer. "Its a tunic, should be long enough on you. You can get changed in there," he directed, pointing to the door on the opposite side of the room.

Putting Loop down, she moved to the door and ducked inside. Tugging the shirt over her head, Sophia pulled the tunic on in its place. It was black and heavy. He was right in assuming it would be long enough on her. It came to only a few inches above her knees and its sleeves were longer than her arms. She rolled them up a little before pulling her pants off and folding them up. It was not a comfortable feeling being so uncovered and knowing that she was about to lay in bed with a man who she had only known for a week. Opening the door after tugging her boots off, realizing she still had them on, Sophia slipped her head through the crack and she found Agravaine laying on the bed already with Loop at his side, playing with him. Smiling a little at how he seemed to enjoy playing with her new pet, Sophia shut the door gently and walked over to the bed quickly on tip toes as the stone beneath her feet was already cold.

Lifting up the fur and the blankets beneath it, Sophia climbed into the bed and laid with her back to Agravaine, the blankets wrapped up under her arms and she shut her eyes. Feeling the bed shift, Sophia shivered a little as felt Agravaine lean over her to put Loop down in front of her. She wanted to try and feign sleep however it seemed he wasn't very inclined to let her.

Laying there, Sophia tightened the blankets and fur round herself just as Agravaine's fingers gripped her hip through the material of the tunic. She would have startled but was trying to remain in a feigned sleep as he seemed to let his hands wander without thinking of what she might do to him.

That same hand inched lower down her thigh until he was gripping the end of the tunic. Sophia couldn't feign sleeping any longer and reached under the blankets to grab his wrist, stilling his hand as best as she could. A shiver ran down her as his fingers brushed lightly over the bare skin of her thigh which had been exposed in the few seconds he had hold of the tunic before she'd stilled him. "I thought we were meant to be sleeping?" she whispered in questioning.

A low chuckle followed her question and his fingers stroked her thigh again just before he used his strength to slip his fingers beneath the hem of the tunic. "Sophia, if you fell for that, I-"

"I didn't fall for anything, I thought you were a gentleman and you did say we were just going to sleep," she interrupted, smiling a little when he scoffed in reply. She glanced over his shoulder at him as he shifted closer to her; his chest meeting her back.

"I'm no gentleman, Sophia. A knight yes. Pagan yes, but never a gentleman. I should tell you the tales of our people and how _barbaric_ we really are and still can be," he murmured back. Sophia knew that he was not jesting either. In her mind she wondered how barbaric he could be in the context of what they were referring to. Compared to what she had first thought before she was tugged onto her back. He smirked at her as he leaned over her.

"Well, if I want something Sophia, I am going to make sure I get it," he said, grinning down at her. She hit his chest suddenly, making him chuckle.

"Stop it! That is an unfair advantage," she growled at him trying to move out from under him. Agravaine tightened his grip on her hips and tried to hold her still. He growled back at her when she tried to get from under him. Her breath hitched in her throat as the tunic bunched up her thighs a little from their meaning around and bared more of her legs. Sophia stopped moving and Agravaine ended up settled between her thighs, a hand grasping her thigh tightly as his other braced his weight just off her. She was highly aware of the fact that the only thing separating naked flesh was the tunic she wore and his sleeping pants.

Agravaine seemed very tense above her and she wondered why. He glanced at her for a second only and she noticed how he seemed to be concentrating on something on the headboard intently. A slight grin came to his face. "A beautiful woman is wriggling beneath me. Concentrating is certainly a priority right at this moment if you want me to not take you," he muttered and Sophia, realizing what effect her wriggling had been having on him, blushed heavily.

"I'm sorry."

He laughed; making her blush even more. "Don't be sorry. Its a natural reaction." She made to speak only he moved his hand on her thigh a little higher and bowed his head to capture her mouth in a very passionate kiss.

"I may be considered a barbarian but I stop when a lady asks, if she wishes me to," he admitted as he broke the kiss.

Sophia's head was a little foggy from the kiss that she wasn't sure she'd heard him right but the look of utter seriousness on his face told her he was trying hard to hold back. The way he was flexing and relaxing his hand against her thigh every few second also told her that he was clearly trying to control himself. Smiling a little Sophia raised her hands up and placed them on his shoulders. Slowly she ran her fingers down; frowning slightly each time she passed over raised and mutilated flesh. Her fingers splayed out and traveled down over toned muscles; hard angles; a broad chest that was covered by a sheet of dark hair that moved into a fine line as it approached his waist and disappeared beneath the top of his sleeping pants.

A sound which Sophia likened more to a purr than an actual growl escaped his lips as her fingers danced along his sides. He buried his face into the crook of her neck as her nails scraped his skin lightly. Her eyes slipped shut as Agravaine's lips assaulted her neck with tender kisses. Despite how many little voices in her head were telling her to not do this, Sophia gave into the overwhelming urge that seized hold of her as Agravaine sunk his teeth into where her shoulder and neck met. She gasped and tightened her grip on him as the single and small action caused such a rush in her. His lips and tongue soothed over the mark.

"Wish me to stop?" he inquired heatedly into her ear, his hips surging forward against hers. Sophia moaned low in the back of her throat at the friction he'd just caused against her pelvis. At a loss for what she felt to be a comprehensive response Sophia shook her head. "Sophia?"

She realized that he wasn't looking at her, instead he was eying Loop. The small fox in question was watching them with large eyes. Sophia smiled. "I wish Loop wasn't on here with us."

He caught her gaze for just a moment before he picked up the cub and climbed from the bed. Sophia sat up, resting back on her hands as she watched him grab what she thought was his cloak as he headed for his bathroom. Sophia felt her nerves get the better of her as Agravaine came back to the bed. He crawled down onto it; leaning forward to catch her mouth in a kiss. His tongue danced over her bottom lip before she parted them in answer to his silent question. Sophia had to admit he was a great kisser for a man who rarely came near women in such a way.

His hand came out to trace the curve of her jaw as he pulled back slightly after a moment or so. Her heart beat frantically as he reached down and slid the flat of his palms up her thighs and beneath the tunic, this time bunching it up and circling her hips, pulling until the ends were high on her hips. Before Sophia had the chance to protest Agravaine tugged it up over her torso, so it forced her to raise her arms, and over her head. He dropped it to the ground and Sophia looked up at him as he knelt on the bed before her. She felt a hot flush rise up over her now exposed skin and made to cover herself with one of the blankets only Agravaine grabbed her wrist, halting her reach for the item in question.

Glancing up at his face, she didn't take her eyes off him as he grabbed at her thigh again. He tugged her forward so her collarbone came to his mouth and he planted kisses across her skin as Sophia raised her arms and wrapped them around his broad shoulders; eyes slipping shut as she sunk into the caresses.

* * *

Agravaine grabbed her other thigh and lifted her up suddenly, pulling her tight to him and drawing her legs round his waist. A guttural groan escaped him as her chest brushed against his and he felt that smooth skin beneath his fingers as they skimmed over her backside and up her lower back, holding her tightly in place as he found her mouth again in a passionate kiss. Her skin felt so nice, better than he had thought it would. Milky white softness pressed against tanned rough planes.

Her hips instinctively rocked against him and Agravaine felt his blood rush to his groin as his hands explored soft flesh eagerly. He lowered Sophia back down onto the bed and pulled back, looking down at her as he let his palm slide over her stomach. There were no scars on her at all, she was almost flawless. Leaning down, he pressed wet kisses over her chin and throat, smiling as she whimpered softly when his mouth stopped between her breasts. His hands moved over the pale flesh of each breast, his thumbs grazing rose bud nipples and making her gasp and mew, arching up into his body. He grinned. Agravaine could hear her thoughts loud and clear; knew she liked the attention he was giving her and that she felt like her skin was on fire. The thoughts alone fueled his own heat and he felt his body tighten as he listened to her breath in deeply.

"Agravaine," she murmured out his name and he tightened his lips before leaning up and kissing her roughly, bruising her lips. The way she said it almost sounded like a siren's call to him. He was trying so hard to control himself but it was difficult when such a woman was in his bed and welcoming his caresses so eagerly.

Pulling back he shifted from atop her and left the bed; fingers deftly moving to laces of his sleeping pants, no longer wanting to draw this out.

* * *

Sophia's heart raced wildly in her chest. Agravaine was back over her; hands resuming their caressing and it was all she could do to not lose herself to the touches like there was nothing around them. No people; no creatures; and no more rules.

She leaned in, her fingers sinking into his hair, kissing him hungrily. He grabbed at her legs, drawing them up round his lower half and groaning softly as they tightened round him.

He traced his hands across her jawline and round her neck slowly as she watched him with half closed eyes and a slight smile on her lips. Leaning down, he kissed her sweetly, asking a silent question within the kiss itself. Agravaine grinned and whispered something to her in a language she didn't understand but pegged it as being Sarmatian. Grabbing her hand in his and entwining her fingers with his for a second. Bumping his forehead against hers, making an inaudible noise in the back of his throat as she pressed herself up into his body. Agravaine finally gave into the urge he'd been fighting since beginning this.

Sophia gave a pained whimper before biting on your lower lip. Agravaine looked at her face. "You really were-" She nodded, stopping him from keeping going, letting a breath out through her nose. He brushed her damp hair back from her forehead, kissing her cheek before burying his face into her neck. "Relax little one for me."

"Is it always this painful?" she asked, her nails digging into his shoulder blades.

He kissed her neck. "No, I promise that was the worst of it." Her nails left marks on his back but Agravaine didn't mind, no one would see them as he rarely went without a shirt or covering in winter. After a few moments or so her grip slowly eased until her hands slid up into his hair and pulled his mouth up to hers. He smiled against her.

* * *

Sophia had truly never thought that it could feel as good as it did after that initial pain but not long after it became nothing compared to the intense coiling in her belly that came when Agravaine actually did begin to move. She had to bit her lip, not from pain, to keep from making too much noise; still shy in some respect. He didn't seem phrased by anyone being able to hear them as he groaned out loudly into her neck as her nails scraped down his back.

She tightened her legs round his hips, leaning her head back against the pillows and shutting her eyes as he pressed wet kisses up and down her throat, his hands moving to explore every spot that they could as much as possible.

Of course, she'd heard rough stories of what happened off not only her brother and sister but older women that she had been round over the years, but this was nothing compared to stories.

It was so intense.

Finding his hands on her breast and thigh, Sophia grabbed them and laced her fingers with his as his other jerked free of her grip and grabbed a handful of her hair. Her free hand clutched at the fur blanket, gasping as her breath came in short, quicker gulps.

"Sophia," he groaned out, his hair sticking to his skin. She looked at him as he spoke and smiled at him, leaning up and kissing the bottom of his scar before moving to his lips.

* * *

Lying with his body curled up tightly round hers; holding her back to his chest and legs tangled with hers, Agravaine let out a deep breath as Sophia ran her fingers over his forearms which were wrapped round her tightly. He nuzzled his head into her neck, smiling as she giggled a little.

"So, was it worth lying with a pagan knight?" he inquired playfully and Sophia brought a hand round to stroke his cheek softly and he leaned into it, kissing her palm.

"It was. A woman could definitely get use to you having his eyes on her," she answered and he grinned widely, laughing at her response.

Sophia turned over; dragging the fur blanket up over her and Agravaine settled himself down beside her completely. "You're not as ugly as you think, Agravaine," she said and he looked down at her, raising an eyebrow in questioning.

"Your opinion differs greatly to the rest of the populace, Sophia," he quipped bluntly.

"The scar suits you; it shows you care about more than just freedom. It also makes you seem more dark and mysterious."

He pulled a face at her. "Mysterious?" he inquired, chuckling a little. "How do scars, especially this one make me seem more mysterious?"

Sophia reached up and traced the scar across his face lightly. "Because each one comes with a story that proves you're far beyond barbaric," she answered.

He smirked and slipped his hands down, dragging her to him tightly; pressing every inch of them to each other before he bowed his head and kissed her deeply. "I'm only barbaric when it comes to getting what I want."

She laughed softly against his mouth before burying herself in against his body and beneath the furs.

* * *

"Sophia is going to severely mutilate you three come morning," Tristan quipped as he watched Carl with a slightly odd look on his face as the friar kissed his lap companion with more expertise than seemed proper for a holy man.

Lancelot waved a hand at him. "She needs to loosen up a little," he muttered back as his own tavern girl stroked the back of his neck softly, scraping her nails over his skin in clear suggestion. He didn't seem all too eager currently to get her back to his rooms.

"And you're the man to do that?" Tristan mused, looking at the first knight as though he already knew what the answer was going to be. Lancelot wasn't paying him much attention in terms of looking at him so he didn't see the look.

The curly-haired knight shook his head. "I don't need her getting attached to me."

"And why would she get attached to you?" Galahad slurred out slightly from opposite him.

Lancelot raised an eyebrow at the question from the pup and shook his head. "Worst case scenario that always happens when you're a woman's first, they fall in love with you, pup," he said bluntly.

Gawain chuckled. "Ah, Sophia wouldn't want Lancelot anyway, she 'ates him too much," he remarked. Lancelot reached round and cuffed him across the back of the head for the comment as Bors roared with laughter from the head of the table next to Gawain who scowled at the first knight.

"Leave the poor girl alone, you lot," Vanora ordered as she came over to them with more drinks. Already she was back on her feet despite being told to rest but Bors pulled her down onto his lap and kissed her gently.

"Only a bit of fun Vanora," Bors said back.

Vanora shook her head. "You'd do well to remember that she is just like you all."

The knights all looked at her in clear disagreement. "It is the god's honest truth! She is a crusader, while you all may not like your duty you follow Arthur and serve as his knights, he is your leader and you crusade against wrong and right it. Sophia is exactly the same but she was born into the life. Some of you may have lucked out in other circumstances and might never have been taken."

They all were quiet. Vanora was partially right. "Well I still say I'm glad that she won't want me for the time being, but give her time and believe me-"

"She is not foolish Lancelot, anyone woman who is not paying for it clearly knows what they're getting into when they go to your bed," Vanora piped in.

Tristan smirked. "Yeah well at this rate, we might have more than just Bors lot running round." There was a gleam in Tristan's eyes that the others did not fail to miss.

"You- You and Sophia?" Galahad asked.

Tristan glared at him and the pup quickly cowered away slightly, moving down the bench away from the scout. "Not a chance. I don't see Sophia in that respect. But- someone does."

"Yeah well good luck to him, whoever he is cause she is definitely a handful," Lancelot grumbled.

Vanora looked at Tristan when the others all went back to their drinks and mouthed something to him. He nodded after a moment of watching his companions drink and saw Vanora get a look that clearly said she knew exactly who it was. Tristan had to grin a little at the woman, she was quite entertaining at times especially when it came down to knowing about others relationships. She just had the eyes for those type of things but with Arthur, Dagonet and Agravaine missing from the table it would be hard for them to guess as to who it was that Sophia was in a way _enamored_ with as Lancelot would probably gather it was Agravaine, Galahad and Gawain would peg it on Arthur and knowing Bors he'd probably think it was Dagonet.

When he'd passed by Agravaine's rooms earlier he hadn't needed to look in to know that Sophia was in there. Agravaine was more than vocal about the fact he did have someone with him which had made Tristan laugh. Luckily the hall was deserted half the night with the others in the tavern, Dagonet was probably off with the healing woman he'd recently become taken with and Arthur was no doubt in his rooms.

He also knew that Vanora would interrogate Sophia in the morning almost as soon as she could get her hands on her.


	24. Note

**This is a note going out on all of the stories so there if you receive a number of updates, this is the reason.**

**Okay all, well I am pretty much giving up on writing stories on this profile. **

**Aside from the fanfiction story: The Silver Lining all the others will eventually be deleted. And "Beyond the Grey Horizon" will be published under my new account once I have finished revamping the chapters I presently have written. The same might go for Battle of the Brave, Bound by Nature, All That I'm Living For, An Enemy's Daughter and A Lion's Heart; if I ever feel the motivation to rewrite them and rework them. Blind Faith has already been moved over.**

**With that said I am saving the downloadable versions of all the stories into a folder and to those who would like certain stories or the "wrestling folder" I can happily send you them. This is my rough plans, I still am undecided on the matter; I may end up writing to one or two of the wrestling fanfictions that I have up (Little Darlin' and such) but otherwise, I just cannot be bothered with struggling and sending myself nuts with trying to complete most of this fics. **

**Ladies, this does not mean that I have never appreciated your support and the itty bitty bit of success that I gained while writing a number of these fanfictions but I am moving forward to write actually novels with the hope of getting them published one day.**

**I love you all so much and as I said, if you would like certain copies of fiction or the fandom folders I will be saving them all to. Let me know asap!**


	25. Chapter 24

**So I have the next three chapters mapped out and the Lancelot/OC comes to the front in this chapter... I know some were becoming uninterested because of the lack of how strong the pairing was but I hope you enjoy the story from here onwards cause Lance will take over her.**

**There is an straight out Lancelot/OC story in works, it's a rewrite of one of my old ones but it won't be up for a little while because I'm trying to make it better than it originally was- which was cringe worthy.**

**REVIEW REPLY to Sunny Girl: **_You were anonymous, but I hope you see this, anyway in answer to the question why I never finish my stories is simple and yet complex: I get wrapped up in another one way too easily. My mind never actually stops working when it comes to stories and I have a dilemma of (in the case of King Arthur fics- not this one- and my wrestling ones) not being able to keep myself focused on one single story. I always usually stop writing to the fictions in which I feel are not as good as what they could have been and I never feel like working on them once I realize that. Believe me, I wish I could finish some of my fanfictions, of my multi-chaptered stories, I never actually have completed one haha, because the idea is so long and I end up being side-tracked in the long run._

_**Kat**_

_Check out videos for this story on my Vimeo channel: FanfictionUnlimited where there are some new videos for this._

**_I apologise for how long it has taken me to update this fic considering I love it so much. It won't take anywhere near as long anymore. _**

**_There is a note on my profile also._**

**_Enjoy and remember to drop a review!_**

* * *

**Chapter XXIV**

Sophia woke at the feel of fingers stroking her cheek making her smile as she cuddled deeper into the blankets and fur; enjoying its comforting warmth and that of the body beside hers. Lips replaced the fingers and Sophia rolled over, burying her face into the chest she came into contact with, smiling as she felt the fingers tracing down her arm. If was so nice that it had her wishing time wasn't against her at the moment.

"Come on Sophia, time to get up," he said gently beside her ear.

"What time is it?" she replied, not moving away or opening her eyes. She snuggled in deeper against the hard body; moaning in protesting at being woken up.

"A little before dawn."

Sophia groaned lightly in replied. "And you're waking me now, why?"

Soft laughter followed her question. "Well I thought you might like to go back to your room before the others wake up."

Seeing his reasoning, Sophia opened her eyes and stretched out lazily before glancing at Agravaine. He was smiling at her, eyes slipping down. She leaned forward and kissed the corner of his mouth.

"Couldn't I just hide in here for the day with you?" she asked.

He chuckled before sweeping the covers from them, making Sophia blush heavily as he crawled over her. "I, contrary, to what you may think, do not hide in here all day. I have sparring with Lancelot to deal with before noon," he remarked making her smile at him.

"Sparring?"

After a moment of silence, he shook his head. "That is a no, again, to training you little one," he said grinning as she frowned and looked away from him.

Still not understanding why he refused to teach her Sophia got out of the bed, pulling the fur blanket up with her, keeping herself covered. She heard Agravaine move behind her and turned to face him. "Why won't you teach me?" she asked him, tightening the fur around her body a little more as she stared up at him in confusion.

He sighed heavily. "Sophia, why do you want to fight?"

"Because I want to make things right-" she told him putting a hand on his chest, "and the only way to make things right is to fight. I'm not completely novice, but I was trained differently to how you were."

Agravaine shook his head as he moved round her and grabbed a pair of breeches. "Sophia, I don't want to teach you to be a killer," he told her.

Sophia huffed and frowned at him when he glanced at her while tying the laces up on his breeches. She pulled herself away when he made to grab her arm. He took a step towards her and dragged her in against him. "Please," she said softly, her eyes downcast.

Hooking a finger underneath her chin, Agravaine made her look up at him. "You can watch and observe us in the courtyard but I am not going to spar with you. You'll only end up injured," he told her, smiling a little at her seeing the fire in her eyes and the thoughts running through her head. Leaning down he kissed her gently, smiling against her mouth as she leaned into him. "You really enjoy my kisses."

She giggled suddenly and buried her head into his chest as he chuckled. "Well they are nice kisses," she told him, running her hands up his chest lightly.

He groaned softly, his head swimming a little as her thoughts came through. "Hey, hey, hey that is not fair at all," he hissed as she turned the heat up a little more through thoughts. Sophia smirked as she loosened his breeches, making him look down with a raised eyebrow. "This is cheating."

"No, this is persuasion," she replied cheekily.

He grabbed her arms and tugged her close to him, smirking wickedly. "No this is called bribery."

She managed to pull away from him and head for the shut door where Loop was. Hearing Agravaine protest, she giggled. "Well if you want me to do what I just showed you then you had better think twice about not training me," she challenged over her shoulder before shutting the door behind her on a complaining Agravaine.

* * *

Lancelot was already up before dawn and his companion from last night had already left for which he was glad to be rid of her company. He had paid her extra to not say a word of last night after the slip he had made while with her. Lancelot knew how they liked to gossip.

Had it been a slip? He truly didn't think so as he knew in his mind, despite all the alcohol he had consumed, the woman he had been with last night had not been the girl whose name he'd said.

Sophia.

He still couldn't honestly comprehend why he had said her name during sex with another woman. He loathed her. Teased and tormented her, and apparently also liked saying her name during sex with another woman.

Lancelot felt like knocking himself across the back of the head with the butt of his own sword from how foolish he felt.

Running a hand down his face as he collapsed onto his bed and looked round at his room and noticed how untidy it was; he'd need to clean up the mess or make sure one of the maids did it today for him. He glanced at the door when someone knocked on it. Standing up from where he was sitting on the edge of the bed and crossing the room he wondered who it was. Probably Arthur coming to say they had been called out again.

When he opened the door; Lancelot stopped at the sight that greeted him. Sophia stood there, hands behind her back and a slight smile on her lips. He gave her an annoyed look as he folded his arms across his chest. "Yes?"

She rocked up on the balls of her feet slightly before settling back down. "Agravaine told me that you were all sparring this morning."

"Oh he did now?" he inquired, a smirk coming to his face. "And why would he tell you that?"

Sophia's smile flattered and she huffed. "Alright, so I asked him if he would teach me to fight like you all can but he won't." Lancelot nodded, leaning against the frame of the door, seemingly not concerned with the fact that he was in nothing more than breeches and boots, having been halfway through dressing when he'd just collapsed down onto his bed trying to mule over things. "I was wondering if, even though we don't get along well, you'd be able to teach me how to fight?"

"I don't teach," he answered and Sophia hung her head, her shoulders slumping in defeat, which made him chuckle. "However, I do need a partner other than Bors; damn loses his temper every time we start."

Sophia looked up at him and smiled. "Really?"

He nodded and lifted up one shoulder. "It couldn't hurt, after all you don't look like you could really do much damage to a person," he teased, stepping back and shutting the door on her before she could tell him off laughing when he heard her squeal out from the other side.

Walking over he picked up one of his swords and looked at it. Sophia would need a sword; one more fitted to withstand a blow than what she currently carried with her. He wondered whether Arthur would approve of his choice in teaching her but he didn't care, it would give him a chance to tease her and at least this way he and Agravaine wouldn't have to go chasing off after her every time a fight occurred. Remembering back to the forest when he'd killed the werewolf to protect her, Lancelot shook himself and set his sword back down near the fireplace and turned to finish getting dressed.

* * *

Come breakfast Sophia found Arthur, Tristan and Agravaine all absent. She gathered that Arthur was still in his rooms, probably resting while he could and Tristan was more than likely off doing something he shouldn't be, but Agravaine's whereabouts made her smirk. He was probably still in his rooms trying to get over what she had tortured him with through her mind, so he didn't do something in front of everyone else.

"So Agravaine and Lancelot is the last fight for this round and then-"

"I'm training with Sophia," Lancelot interrupted, not looking up from his food. Sophia smiled at the number sitting beside her who had asked if she really was going to fight a knight.

"Well it is only practice," she explained.

* * *

Carl groaned as he slowly began to wake up. His head hurt, his body felt like it he had just ran for hours and he also realized, as he came to, that he was naked beneath the sheets of his new bed. Sitting up sharply and regretting doing so immediately after, Carl clutched at his forehead as he checked the room, assessing whether he was truly awake or simply dreaming. A hand slid round his belly suddenly, startling him. He scrambled from the bed, dragging the blanket with him to cover himself. Turning round with the blanket tight about his waist, Carl came face to face with a sleeping woman.

Now he remembered exactly what had happened the night prior and felt like blushing crimson red as he recalled how hastily he had acted throughout the whole thing. Looking about the messy room of scrolls and papers, Carl searched for some semblance of clothing.

* * *

After breakfast Bors had pulled Sophia aside and asked her if she could help Vanora out while she was getting over the birth. Sophia had jumped at helping, she knew that some of the children would help her out as well and she had been correct. Five of the numbers; one, three, four, seven and eight had all come along with her to the markets to get what Vanora had asked for.

Sophia had laughed when the woman had cursed Agravaine and Tristan for eating all the apples in the tavern stores and told her to keep an eye on them if they get close to her while shopping so they didn't pinch the ones she brought in the market.

The numbers were highly entertaining. Number one, whose twin number two was off somewhere causing trouble as he liked to do, was the spitting image of her mother and Sophia had found that she also inherited her mother's temper as she snapped at one of the young numbers who pulled her hair as she carried her.

After another bout of hair pulling Sophia said she'd carry the small girl that was number eight who seemed extremely happy that she did so. Sophia found the tiny child adorable as she snuggled into her neck and wrapped her arms around her neck tightly.

While in the markets though, Sophia found that many of the people who were seeing her for the first time stared blatantly. It unnerved Sophia though she could understand why they were so intrigued by her.

When they were standing at a stall with piles of red and green apples Sophia felt him come up behind her. She felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand up as she smiled secretly to herself as the children all greeted him while she remained facing away from him. The woman behind the piles of fruit moved away hastily and Sophia realized that it was because of Agravaine's appearance.

"Let me guess; no apples left in the back room of the tavern?" she inquired in a taunting way over her shoulder, smiling at Agravaine whose mouth curved upwards slightly for a second before it dropped.

He greeted the numbers in turn of their age, moving closer to them as he did and Sophia turned to face him finally; holding in her free hand a red apple as she balanced number eight on her right hip. Clearly from the look on his face he wanted the apple but seemed to be debating with himself over something.

Sophia just waved the apple a little from side to side and noticed, with high amusement, that his eyes followed the fruit. He took the last few steps towards her until the only thing separating them was the child she carried on her hip. "Sophia," he mumbled, his eyes moving from the apple to her face.

Inwardly she questioned him on why he was acting so strange and saw the smallest hint of a smirk pull up the corner of his mouth. She thought she heard Galahad and Gawain's voices however Agravaine chose to lean down in that second.

His mouth pressed against hers in a light sweet kiss and she smiled against him at the outright display of affection she did not think would come from him. The child in her arms was giggling as Agravaine brought his hand up to thread into her hair at the back of her neck while he continued to kiss her.

"Ha! Pay up Gawain!"

Pulling back, Sophia leaned slightly round to find a startled Gawain and Lancelot and an overly joyful looking Galahad watching them. She turned red slightly as Agravaine took the apple from her hand.

"Volim te," he whispered into her ear, kissing her cheek for good measure before turning and walking off without another word, tossing the apple up into the air as he passed by the three knights who had come upon the scene.

Looking at the number she held Sophia felt herself turn redder when the child said that Agravaine liked her. The eldest number was giggling uncontrollably and Sophia quickly turned and went back to what she was doing, hoping the other three knights just continued on their way.

* * *

"Galahad, you should just attach yourself to her leg like a mutt in heat," Gawain groaned as he followed his younger cousin down the street, acknowledging a pretty girl or two as he passed them by.

Galahad growled back. "She is a friend and Bors just can't expect her and the numbers to do everything while Vanora is resting," Galahad shot back over his shoulder.

"The pup says what now?" Lancelot asked as he fell into step alongside Gawain with ease. Gawain chuckled as Galahad scowled back at them. "Wanna explain why he is rushing through the markets at this time of the morning?"

"Bors asked Sophia to help Vanora and Galahad is searching out his favourite new friend to offer her some assistance," Gawain remarked, smirking as Lancelot chuckled.

"What is so wrong with that?" Galahad snapped at them, turning to face them for a moment.

Lancelot shook his head and covered his eyes as the youngest knight ran backwards into a table and nearly knocked everything off it. Gawain refrained from laughing as he told his cousin that it was more than obvious he liked Sophia.

"As. A. Friend," Galahad said, stressing each word slowly once he had helped to clean up the mess he had caused.

They continued bickering as they headed through the markets until Galahad spotted Sophia at a stall of apples. He was about to call her when he noticed Agravaine already with her. "Looks like Aggy beat you," Gawain teased, elbowing his cousin lightly.

Lancelot looked at the pair a few metres ahead curiously, wondering what they were talking about as he watched her hold an apple out to their friend.

Gawain gaped when Agravaine leaned in and kissed Sophia suddenly. "Well... at least now we know who Tristan was talking 'bout last night," Lancelot drawled, smirking as he watched the pair, clapping a hand on Galahad's shoulder. "Sorry to see you..."

"Ha! Pay up Gawain!" Galahad stated in triumph looking at his cousin and best friend with a large smirk.

When Agravaine passed by them, Lancelot just shook his head and watched him go. Gawain managed to shake himself back to normality and smiled as he handed Galahad two coins.

"Well good to know someone can tame him," he commented which made Galahad laugh as Lancelot just looked at the pair with a quirked eyebrow.

"Galahad said it would be Agravaine, I thought it would be Arthur."

Lancelot gave him an incredulous look. "Arthur? What on earth made you think it would be Arthur?"

Gawain just lifted up one shoulder as he spoke: "Oh come on, it is not as farfetched as you may think." Lancelot just shook his head, trying not to laugh at the blond knight who just scowled in return.

Sophia had her back to them and Lancelot found he was unable to resist tormenting her now that he had one up on her. Walking over, he smirked as the other two followed him. "Sophia and Aggy sitting in a tree-" he began to sing only to have Sophia turn and whack his arm hastily.

"Could you just not?" she said harshly back to him.

He just leaned in close to her, chuckling as he ruffled the hair of number eight who giggled. "K-I-S-S-"

Sophia stood on his foot and put number eight down before walking off. Galahad grinned as number eight told Lancelot that he was a bully and proceeded to follow her older sister away from the apple stall. Lancelot cursed at the sourness of the woman as Galahad slipped away from the pair and followed after Sophia.

* * *

Galahad found Sophia in the stables, talking to Agravaine's horse much to Galahad's amusement. She was so wrapped up in the horse that she had not even noticed him come up behind her until he put a hand on her shoulder.

He felt her reaction and braced himself, quickly catching her hand as she swung round to hit him. After a second or so she smiled a little at him and he let go of her arm. "Don't sneak up on me," she shot defensively, trying to mask embarrassment with anger. It didn't fool Galahad.

"You know Lancelot only does it because he always gets a rise out of you," he commented off handily as he leaned back against the beam behind him.

He watched her look away for a moment before he received a curt nod in response. "He is like a bug," she mused and Galahad half-snorted and half-chuckled. "Though he is one I can't crush."

"Aye, but he ain't all bad; he just doesn't like to show what good there is in him," he told her, waving his hand round absently and making her grin.

"You and I have very different opinions on Lancelot then," she stated, folding her arms across her chest and smiling at him.

"That we do but you'll see his good side- someday, I hope," he remarked, giving her a weak smile. After a moment of silence, he huffed and stretched out a little. "But until that day comes you can always show him you're not as easily swayed by his tricks."

Sophia chuckled and hit him on the arm lightly. "Shouldn't you be siding with Lancelot, he is after-"

"Lance is Lance, he is arrogant, most times self-centred and as you've already seen, he cares little about the women he takes to his bed. No one is perfect, Lancelot just prefers to not work on his vices."

She could not argue with him at all on that.

* * *

Sophia stared at the weapon she was holding. The smithy was explaining how he'd crafted it to her and that when Lancelot had come looking for a sword for a woman, he'd handed him this particular one.

Looking at the curly-haired knight, she asked him only one silent question with her eyes. For a minute he just stared back before a smirk grew on his face. "Well, your current sword is not suitable and I am not training you if you don't have a proper weapon," he said as he glanced at the smithy and nodded in his direction before turning and beginning to leave.

He had dragged Sophia into the smithy's shop which was directly joined to the training yards once he'd caught sight of her and Galahad at the fence while he was sparring with Gawain. Lancelot kept telling himself exactly what he had told her as the reason for buying her the sword but in truth he knew that he had bought it for her because he had just wanted to.

* * *

Agravaine leaned against the fence, watching out of the corner of his eye as Lancelot showed Sophia how she should stand when holding her new sword. He didn't fail to notice when Lancelot put his hand on Sophia's hip and quirked an eyebrow, wondering what game Lancelot was playing at this morning.

He smirked crookedly as Sophia's thoughts invaded his own giving him the reassurance that she wasn't enjoying the touching.

As they started, Agravaine watched how Sophia moved. She wasn't as strong as what he thought, in fact, watching her now against Lancelot made him see that the hard blows to her sword were hurting her wrist and forcing her to use more strength that she actually had.

Agravaine wished he had the ability to send his thoughts through to her. "Sword up, Sophia!" he called out and smiled as she did as he ordered.

"Don't cheat!" Lancelot shouted back.

"Parry!" Agravaine demanded and began calling out what she was to do and making the others laugh as he read Lancelot's advances.

Sophia yelped as Lancelot locked his sword with hers and spun round her, smacking her on the backside with flat of his second sword that he drew from his back suddenly.

He broke away, laughing as she spun around to scowl at him. "All is fair in combat," he quipped.

She gave him a sour look. "The term is "all is fair in love and war", not all is fair in combat," she shot back and he lost his smirk before raising his swords up to point at her. She knocked them aside weakly, barely putting any effort into it.

Agravaine could hear her thoughts. She was angry and drained. He ducked under the rail and drew his sword. "I think that's enough for the day," he commented and saw Lancelot glance over at him, "for Sophia."

She nodded. He could already tell, even without the invasion of her thoughts in his mind that she was not one for playing games when she was serious about something.

* * *

Carl found Agravaine and Sophia sometime in the afternoon and his after-morning effects from his first night of sin had worn of. They were in the stables, tending to Agravaine's horse. It seemed the knight enjoyed his time with his mount quite a lot and Sophia was sitting on the straw near the stable gate, watching as he brushed the dapple grey down thoroughly.

"Ah there you two are," he stated and Agravaine bit his tongue as Sophia asked Carl how his night had gone. The scarred knight had glanced round in time to see a deep crimson blush spread across the friar's cheeks and he chuckled as Sophia giggled. "Yes... Well I uh- Sophia, you should not pry into the business of others!"

Agravaine saw how flustered he was becoming and decided to cause the friar even more reason to squirm while he had the opportunity. "I do hope the whore was worth your coin, friar."

Carl began squirming even more and Sophia could not help but burst out into cackles almost as she watched her friend.

"Right!" he said sharply. "That'll be enough about my business!" Agravaine gave him a silent, placid look and Carl simply brushed it aside. "Now, how did last nights' venture into dream tracking go?"

"Poorly," Sophia piped up, lying. "It didn't work last night."

"Odd," Carl huffed and Agravaine smirked at the next suggestion of trying again tonight. "Or course, I would like to be involved in this one."

"No," Agravaine replied flatly. "I prefer it be just one person, and Sophia is who I trust, so I will only agree to it if it is her."

Carl frowned at Agravaine's back but Sophia just smiled a little. "It is easier when you're not there pressing things in that painful way you can, Carl," she added. "Not that you're always like that but lately, you have been."

"Very well, but I expect some results this time," he told them, pointing a finger at Sophia who grinned a little and nodded quickly.

"We'll try our best, I promise, but it isn't like we can control it one hundred percent," she remarked as he gave a slight huff and turned away, leaving them alone. She returned the huff with a quiet one of her own as leaned against the rail of stall. "I truly wish he would not push me into doing such a thing to you. There are only so many of their thoughts and memories that you are able to see at times."

"How do you know that?" Agravaine inquired softly.

She glanced over her shoulder before ducking under the rail and telling him she'd see him later. He frowned and tried to call her back only she kept going.


End file.
